Autism Representation in the Media

April is Autism Acceptance Month, and as such I thought it was appropriate to make a video talking about Autism and the Autism Spectrum representation in the media. I realize that I'm uploading this video in May, but it took me a long time to make.
There's many creative famous people with on The Spectrum (or with ASD). Including Dan Aykroyd, Dan Harmon and Satoshi Tajiri. Autistic characters in the media also include Rick Sanchez from Rick and Morty, Carl Gould from Arthur and Abed Nadir from The Community.
In today's video we discuss basic Autism knowledge and terms, famous people on the spectrum, canon autistic characters as well as head canons, and harmful media tropes and portrayals of those on the spectrum.
Share your experiences and head canons in the comments down below! Hateful comments will be deleted. People reading through the comments are encouraged to report hateful and bigoted comments.
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RESOURCES & HELPFUL LINKS
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Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

[@ToonRuinsOfficial]

Hey everyone! Just a reminder to take the poll regarding this video over on my Community Tab on my channel! If you’d like to start a discussion on this video, comment below! Make sure to be civil with one another while having discussions! *TIME STAMPS* Intro: 0:00 - 1:19 Important People: 1:20 - 6:51 Autistic Characters: 6:52 - 8:08 Autistic Character Headcanons: 8:09 - 19:30 Harmful Tropes: 19:31 - 23:56 Conclusion: 23:57 - End Featured Fanart ► twitter.com/BaityDraws/status/1122644571530366977 Article About Bad Representation ► www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/why-good-doctor-is-bad-medicine-autism-1098809 Support & Learn About Autistic People ► autisticadvocacy.org/ Why Autism $peaks is Awful ► autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/AutismSpeaksFlyer_color_2018.pdf medium.com/@KirstenSchultz/a-roundup-of-posts-against-autism-speaks-5dbf7f8cfcc6 Join the Community Discord ► discord.gg/2Ap9Nbp Join the Community Amino ► aminoapps.com/invite/CZG7N0VLAG Support me on Patreon! ► www.patreon.com/leac Buy Official Merchandise ► teespring.com/stores/toon-ruins Like me on Facebook ► facebook.com/leasamvs Follow me on Twitter ► twitter.com/LeaC_Official Follow me on Tumblr ► pipiipek.tumblr.com

[@s.tagerius2514]

Great video! Many people unfortunately don't understand autism very well, which is why detailed and informative videos such as this one are so important.

[@snoc637]

Amazing video!! As someone who is also autistic, my special interest is Sonic the hedgehog, I could tell people details of its creation, the designs and have learned to draw from making these characters, I struggled to go out for such a long time as a child, because I hated socialising. That's when I learned to run, I would go for a run / jog everyday like Sonic the hedgehog, and it made me seem more social and confident. That was ten years ago, to this day, I still go running, draw some characters, and draw scenery from the games (such as landscapes inspired by green hill zone), and it's so rewarding!

[@SkyMayspooky]

It is hard on me that I have autism people look look at Me like I am weird when I am trying to be me people tell me i am good drawing but I feel like don't believe in me ..I'm glad there are people who understand me

[@adamcardenas4892]

Thank you for this

[@metanightmare4454]

I'm not gonna lie, I don't think shows like The Good Doctor necessarily deserve to be so hated for these societal problems. It is in fact a moderately close mirror to my own situation as an aspy (baring in mind that it is a show that has to be entertaining above all else, because otherwise it'll just die completely), so it is actually a decent rep for some people. The problem is that the other kinds of autism aren't shown alongside it in media. I don't consider it fair to blame this show just because there don't happen to be other shows around to teach about other groups. As TR said, autism is a spectrum, and it'd be just about impossible to show every part of that spectrum effectively in one series.

[@carotube]

All students at my school : *respect the autistic kids in school* Also all students at my school : *use autism as a slur*

[@thevengefulone57]

Idk my name * visible confusion * EDIT:How'd this dumb unoriginal meme get so many likes, I'm no complaining, mind you.

[@lemon.lilly.]

Becase thay sympathize with you. Sometimes likeing something is just a way to show you suport the person

[@-SUM1-]

I really don't think all students at school are saying "respect the autistic kids in school". Probably not even half of them.

[@mathieusucks607]

me, a person with autism: it's so dumb that people would use autistic as a slur like,,, dude it's not. y'all need to cut it out. also me: **makes a basic human mistake** oh my gosh i'm so r*tarded

[@purrinpawz]

Same

[@sugarplum6253]

Once I said I had autism to a friend and a teacher overheard me and said "that not an appropriate joke" and I was- 👁️👄👁️

[@kittywithachoppa]

LMAOOO did you tell her afterwards what you meant?

[@sugarplum6253]

@@kittywithachoppa I was in too much shock that by the time I realized what happened I was to self-conscious to talk to them again.

[@kevinrosario2729]

She sounds like the type of teacher who is not well-informed about autism and assume every autistic kid is low functioning

[@Sad_Baguette420]

I read this as "Once I said I had autism as a joke" and I was about to throw hands ✋😭

[@soup4635]

@@noahshighlightreel I can see why, people are just not informed/nice

[@ave_r_ie]

For me a fictional character with autism (Marcy from amphibia) was what finally led me to looking deeper into my own diagnosis and discovering that I was in fact diagnosed with autism as a teen but the adults in my life chose not to tell me. If it weren’t for Marcy I probably still wouldn’t know I am on the spectrum.

[@sambuffaloe]

I hate people who hide that there kid is autistic. It does so much more harm than good

[@mrudulareddyb]

Isn't Marcy being Autistic a headcanon?

[@thatonearanara]

That’s not good as knowing you have autism can help you in understanding yourself.

[@pichuoleander]

@@thatonearanarayea!

[@randomnoob101flyhightweek]

im glad you found out. I know im autistic (diagnosed) but my parents refuse to learn ab it, so i dont get any accommodations (which i rlly need sensory wise)

[@alipali]

I'm going to be assessed for Autism/ASD on Wednesday. This is going to be my second assessment, since the last one (4 years ago) said I wasn't fitting the diagnostic criteria. Before watching this video, I was really scared about the thought that I was actually not Autistic, and only lied to myself to normalise my "worst traits". But this video highlighted features that weren't typically discussed about Autism, which I related to a lot. I especially understood Pearl, since she is literally who I see in myself. Thank you, I really hope I don't miss the diagnosis this time. UPDATE: I got diagnosed with ASD!!! :D

[@xerxes9367]

Good luck!! And please remember, formal diagnosis or not you are completely valid :] - a diagnosed autistic

[@BusinessBear99]

I was school diagnosed I will be medically soon Edit: I’m officially diagnosed! YAY!!!

[@Hello_Kitty_Fan]

Congrats! Welcome to the autism community fellow

[@Samacalia]

HE IS ONE OF US

[@Pau.aguiza]

This actually makes me feel much more hopeful. I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was little, and as I grew up people expected me to just grow out of it. But as I still experience difficulties I'm taking tests to see if I still fit the diagnosis, and I was getting worried cause some of the test didn't seem hard at all. And If I don't get diagnosed again maybe it IS just because I'm lazy, but this gave me hope. Thank you so much for sharing! 😊

[@F1rst_m4ns_l4st_slvt]

My therapist told me I could grow out of being autistic, so I told her that she could grow out of needing glasses. Edit: ♡ please no fighting in the replies ♡

[@naritruwireve1381]

what kind of therapist is that??

[@F1rst_m4ns_l4st_slvt]

@@naritruwireve1381 a therapist that was cheap.

[@naritruwireve1381]

@@F1rst_m4ns_l4st_slvt o-

[@chkeplemin9752]

Damn

[@eldoron5541]

*Genetics negatated*

[@nickhyena2674]

Once my friend called me autistic as an insult and I said "yeah?" It was at this moment she knew. She had fricked up. Edit: ew, that was back when I censored myself. Fucking gross.

[@LaoonCow]

Nick Hyena lol

[@erinbathie-moore8478]

Did she apologize?

[@Over_Zzealous]

Someone at school keeps calling me autistic and I don't even have it.

[@koifish4276]

someone called me autistic but i’m alistic so oop

[@nickhyena2674]

@@erinbathie-moore8478 Yeah, when she noticed what she said she wouldn't stop apologizing. I didn't really care tbh.

[@EnigmaticGentleman]

4 years on, and its wild how much better animated autistic (and adhd) rep has been compared to live action. Marcy, Luz, Donnie, Gus, all in the last couple years and all crushing everyone but the very best of live action.

[@SapphireLeya]

I’ve heard Hunter (Owl House) is also headcanoned as autistic, with wild magic being his special interesy

[@itsrickyschannel.]

I'm assuming you mean Donnie from The Wild Thornberrys? Not sure about the other characters. When I hear the name Marcy I think of Marcy from Peanuts/Charlie Brown.

[@panpanmonday3585]

@@itsrickyschannel. I think they're referring to Donnie from Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle who is confirmed to have autism. They are also referring to Marcy Wu from Amphibia who was also confirmed (although the author originally did not intend for her to be autistic but loved the idea so much)

[@itsrickyschannel.]

@@panpanmonday3585 Ah gotcha

[@caaniisleeeep]

Abed Nadir is probably my favorite character ever and I love the fact that he feels so confident and comfortable about himself as it's something I relate to in an immense amount as a neurodivergent individual

[@singerofsongs468]

“I’ve got self-esteem falling out of my butt” was genuinely a life changing line for me lmao

[@user-qj9go7jj3f]

SIX SEASONS AND A MOVIE

[@caaniisleeeep]

@@user-qj9go7jj3f SIX SEASONS AND A MOVIE !

[@j000emama]

the relationship between troy and abed is the reason i have watched community 10 times now.

[@Oogidyboogidyboo]

Cool cool cool.

[@yaoimafia]

WHAT IM SHOOK THE CREATOR OF POKEMON IS AUTISTIC?! MY BIGGEST SPECIAL INTEREST IS POKEMON I STARTED CRYING

[@kuramayoko23]

ana I know right?! I'm on the spectrum myself and I freaked out when I found that out a few years ago!

[@m00shmallow81]

I told my mom as soon as I reached that part of the video!

[@helloleonhere]

ana SAME

[@jaysonklein6018]

... LEMME SHOW YOU MAH POKEYMANS!!! Lol ;)

[@Domzori99]

There isn't any actual evidence to suggest the creator of pokemon is autistic just a journalist making guesses based off the translated description of Satoshi Tajiri's childhood interests.

[@TheonewhereCupcake]

“Spongebob Happens to be a pretty common special interest with autistic people” hears this while laying in bed with spongebob bed sheets... oh

[@DanzigFan-vq3zf]

Sam S Me who still watches Spongebob as a Teen: Okay

[@morningstar..]

the Shigaraki profile picture really pulls this together

[@maxpowell9079]

bro that’s what i was thinking i love MHA, it’s the first manga have ever read

[@UrLocalWeirdAlYankovicGuy]

me who has literally a container of spongebob dvds and knows damn well I am autistic: you’re damn right.

[@EmmyBlubonic]

me, who owns multiplease spongebob plushies, owns lots of Spongebob dvds, and is also on the spectrum: correct!

[@arktya]

I am autistic and have a special interest in insects, so knowing that someone not only shared my interest but was also able to use it as a basis for the creation of a highly successful media franchise (which more or less is something I hope to do one day) is really inspiring to me.

[@alexmackrell1385]

One of my main special interests is insects as well and I also love Pokémon, it’s so cool to know that that was what inspired the franchise to be created

[@JonathanGilmer]

​@@alexmackrell1385I immediately thought about pokemon when I read that comment, but you beat me to it!

[@snaining2054]

My older brother is severely autistic. He barely speaks, he used to always draw various instruments, and helped with the recycling at his school. He’s scared to death by dogs except in certain occasions, which is a problem near busy traffic. He sometimes shows behaviors like rummaging through my garbage can, trying to get into my room (I had to install a lock on it), and is sensitive to loud noises, among other things. I used to think that he was annoying and a burden when I was younger, but I’m trying to understand him now. This video was very informative, thank you.

[@ItchyBurritoActual]

Still sounds like a burden ngl

[@razkrispies]

ONE‼️

[@ItchyBurritoActual]

@@razkrispies What

[@razkrispies]

@@ItchyBurritoActual pfp

[@ItchyBurritoActual]

@@razkrispies A stickman glass of water, what does that have to do with the number one

[@Mr.Mister0621]

I hate when people call others autistic as an insult, one person literally said I sounded like I was autistic, and when I told him I was autistic, he knew he f*cked up

[@bradanklauer8926]

Yeah, that would not work at my school. Whoever it was would have been on your @$$ for the rest of your school career.

[@Sniper_4_Life]

Yeah, I changed schools and told the people in class I'm autistic right at start to avoid problems and literally the next day they were using autism as an insult while I was sitting half a meter away from them just thinking to myself "what the hell is wrong with you people ?" Probably a lot, because they were eating in class, walking around during lessons to mess with each other, throwing stuff and even telling the teacher to "shut the f-ck up", however none of them have any disabilities or reasons for their behaviour other than the fact they're a bunch disrespectful jackasses. It is hell.

[@Mr.Mister0621]

@@F.G.I.s.R.B.z.H.j.E.k.v yeah i'm not banned though

[@aina6691]

@@bradanklauer8926 Your school sounds amazing,

[@bradanklauer8926]

@@aina6691 Oh, it is. Bunch of dumbass creatons who really make your day.

[@yepisuredolikecats3979]

pisses me off when people use autistic as some kind of derogatory adjective thanks for putting light upon this

[@mistertagomago7974]

As someone who was diagnosed with aspergurs it was odd to me seeing it used as an online insult. At first I was confused as to how internet strangers seemed to know I had aspergurs, eventually it started to annoy me, then I just started to find it funny.

[@veronis]

the people at my school love using autism as a slur and its so fucking annoying

[@morganrussman]

Right, in perticular when someone mentions that one (like myself) wouldn't understand.

[@redroseurie6149]

@@veronis it's really rude when they don't even know what it is

[@jordandrowley5918]

@@veronis they sound like real assholes we don't choose to have autism

[@gamergurl3648]

I’m currently writing a story, and one of the main characters is on the spectrum. This video definitely helped make a frame of reference for how to write her

[@THE_funnyalt]

Same, but it might be a bit easier considering I am on the spectrum lol

[@haskeymorrison]

I want to read story

[@x-itsamystery-x1132]

same

[@BurgerCreeper_]

Gl on story 😀👍

[@mixs0269]

I MUST FIND THE STORY

[@Frosty_McFrost05]

I never realized The Good Doctor was considered bad representation of autism. I always thought that it was good representation and it taught that even if you are mentally disabled you can still achieve great things.

[@Frosty_McFrost05]

@@honkstheclown8631 I can see where you are coming from. You have a very good point and you know I agree with you I may never be able to understand completely being that I’m not mentally disabled but I can get where you are coming from.

[@silashurd3597]

Some people think otherwise

[@mufinboi975]

I think its good representation when thinking specifcally on even with autism you can overcome certain struggles. The bad representation comes from generally only showing the big brain ones. When generally most autistic people dont have that type of autism. I enjoy the good doctor but obviously he is one with that specific type of autism

[@ebensennett3095]

Yeah, I really enjoyed it. I relate to a lot of what he went through and thought that it was realistic enough to buy it. The acting was really good too IMO

[@SkySquad]

I havent watched the video yet so forgive me if i repeat stuff but i think that the point is its still harmful because then people dont see autistic folk as being useful or worthy of love and respect if theyre not massively successful or hyperintelligent

[@opencabinets]

Does anyone else have a fear of losing a special interest? I have a few and I recently lost my biggest one and I just feel so weirdly empty without it.

[@mothslug4387]

yeah, it's one of my biggest fears

[@cleanj3ans]

That is exactly why i hate autismspeaks

[@raspberrycrowns9494]

Sometimes maybe the reason you've lost a special interest is because you found a new one. Nothing is permanent

[@garmadonsrightarms4434]

I do too

[@jermfanaccount]

yeah, which is why i always come back to stuff like tf2 and mlp, theyre very important to me.

[@crusty_emu]

The amount of times where someone has stopped treating me like a normal human being and started treating me like I was incapable of basic human skills is actually insane. It is genuinely an awful experience.

[@ChaoticKris964]

Some of my elementary teachers did something similar. They spoke to me normally, however they would take accommodations too far.

[@nerdgeekcosplay909]

@@ChaoticKris964 wait until college ... you basically have to fight them for accommodations.

[@matthew-005]

I understand how you feel I have had people treat me like a child after they find out I have aspergers, which is insulting and annoying especially as I have an IQ of 142. This surprises people who do that to me and sometimes they don't believe things I say like scientific facts I tell them because I am "mentally disabled so surely I can't be that smart". But it works in reverse too people who know how smart I am are impatient with me when I don't understand everyday stuff. They are like "you're smart how could you not know" because I have never done said thing before "but its common sense" that line is the worst I mean what is "common sense" exactly?

[@pokaay3163]

Goes to show how painfully uneducated people are about these things. Its really unfortunate that these disorders have gone on to be generalized as childlike or something you need to “deal with.” I myself try to treat my autistic cousin the exact same as I would treat my other cousins, so that I dont accidentally infantilize him or make him feel like I’m underestimating him. People dont get that autistic kids and adults are still intelligent human beings, and are mostly capable of the same things as everybody else. It’s just that there may be things to accommodate for due to the fact that its a disorder that affects them daily. But that doesn’t mean you have to see them on a different level as someone neurotypical. I hope I said this right, I’m not neurodivergent but I find these videos interesting and very helpful in understanding the people around me more. The comments sections are always a gold mine of people with different experiences sharing their stories and opinions.

[@matthew-005]

@@pokaay3163 Well said. I personally don't really see myself as "disabled" I simply operate differently to neurotypicals but since the world is built for neurotypicals it makes things difficult for me. Sure I have some physical problems but I can manage them with little difficulty I am often the smartest person in the room and this often makes people think I am faking my condition but aspergers people can be very intelligent. Other people treat me like a child or like I need special treatment, all I really need is patience and the willingness to understand but isn't that what anyone needs from others? I have often seen NT's get into and argument over a misperception of something one of them said as it was taken as an offence and reacts very poorly but the "offended" person rarely try's to confirm if the other person meant any offence and honestly its maddening as I have found people twist seemingly anything into something negative. In my eyes NT's are the ones who have a problem, all social interactions seem to be an unnecessarily complex mine field. If something is not worded how they like or in the tone of voice they like they get angry because of the why they took something instead of finding out how the other person meant it, which really is all that matters in the end right?

[@mr.tomasiorubinshtein]

A teacher asked for my forgiveness after she used autism as a slur on another student. Twice. It happened twice. I could've got her fired because my school had a special classroom for autistic students, so the school knew well the importance of awareness.

[@indecisive2insomniac610]

Personally, another character that I would like to mention would be "Entrapta" from She-Ra. She is heavily coded to be somewhere on the autistic spectrum, her special interest being robots. Notably, anything connected to something called "first one's tech", an advanced type of technology from a lost civilization within the show. She seems to be unaware of how others feel about her, as she doesn't comprehend it when others are mad at her. *From this point on, I will be spoiling parts of the show from this point on, so be warned.* She often gets distracted by technology, which goes to a dangerous extent. As she narrowly avoided death after being distracted, rather than escaping the villain base she was stuck in. She stayed, after previously being yelled at for wandering off and hyper-fixating on the villain's technology. While there, one of the villains manipulated her into joining them. But it didn't take much convincing, as she was convinced almost immediately just by being allowed to work with more resources. Even going into places she was forbidden to go in, such as the personal lab as the main series villain (up until the last season or so). Despite him being known for his temper, she had gone in and messed with his things, after finding stuff wrong with his technology. Her special interests once again get in the way and are more prominently shown as something that affects her choices greatly. Far later in the show, she is now back to working with the heroes. The heroes end up yelling at her about how she doesn't care about them, and that she only cares about tech. Entrapta responds by asking for confirmation that they are indeed mad at her, further showing how she seems to be unaware of others and their feelings. Especially when it relates to that anger. They bring up how she doesn't seem to notice/care about how her actions affect other people, something that was prominently shown throughout her appearances in the show. Entrapta responds by telling them how she isn't good at people, but she is good at technology. She further goes on to explain how she thought that if she could help them their her tech, then they would like her. Sorry if this didn't make any sense, I just thought to mention her and this messy rant came out.

[@sambuffaloe]

Enthrapda is the only egsampl of the genius with ASD done right. She is my favorite autistic cariter by far-that seen on best ilind wow- after finding out I was autistic I rewatched She-ra to reavaluwat her cariter and I loved her so much more

[@opalander]

Never use the term "coded" again

[@BritAltie]

@@opalander why not

[@incognitoman3656]

Oh, but then wasn’t she just doing everything for fun?

[@perrykv7312]

​​@@incognitoman3656 more like a blind interest for science, or well, machinery

[@lorelikesthings]

My little brother is autistic, and when he shows it a bit, everyone gets frustrated with him. Thanks for shedding some light on this topic

[@tudirkulosis]

Maybe you could show them this video to try to make them have more empathy! :)

[@salt424]

My brother has autism too, but I’m thankful to live in a very understanding and kind community. I hope the people around you educate themselves or just try to understand. :)

[@shalomee1653]

I have two brothers that have autism one older and younger than me. They to have special interests with anime and this one franchise called "dragon ball z"

[@shalomee1653]

@@salt424 same here im thankful i have brothers u know cause there always there in those special events in life and that they are part of your family And that love is powerful

[@irreplaceabledm]

my little brother is autistic too, and it’s hard to deal with it, but i know we’ll get through it

[@egoisticqueer]

There’s this one kid who’s on the spectrum in my class, and he’s the sweetest kid ever and he loves telling stories and he knows everything about trains. sadly he gets made fun of (these guys always cut him off when he’s trying to talk or tell a story) and it’s so infuriating because you can tell how frustrated he gets.

[@reasyrandom]

Try to stand up for him. He'll appreciate it.

[@OzCroc]

It's always trains lol so many autistic people like em. I'm autistic but I don't like them.

[@GarnachoEmpire712]

As an autistic child I can confirm bully’s are the real only poeple with a mental disability there brains fail to recognise poeple who are different

[@maddisynwholikesmusicals5444]

•awtterr• My class has a boy who really likes Technology and randomly starts talking about Technology. It’s really sweet. But our class makes fun of him. It really Sucks. 😕

[@Ugotmilkshakes]

Trains is a really common interest for males with autism.

[@giantpinkcat]

As an autistic person who loves Sesame Street and puppet shows in general, Julia is literally me and I will never forgive the show for ruining her by promoting her in "Autism Sp**ks" campaigns.

[@mysryuza]

Oh gods no 😭

[@Asadlemon]

I remember I was watching a show called extraordinary attorney woo where the main character has that sort of genius autism, which while a harmful stereotype the show also acknowledged that it is a very rare form of autism and also made people in Korea more interested in learning about autism

[@jellygrl..]

I LOVED THAT SHOW!

[@Asadlemon]

@@jellygrl.. same, it was really good despite the stereotypes, though like I said I think they handled them well either way :)

[@beans_boiii308]

"Steven universe is one of my special interests" s h e i s o n e o f u s

[@madisenc5309]

Hahaah

[@chocky0]

Lol ur speaking my language

[@familyjansen8839]

One of US! One of US! Gooba Gaba Gooba Gaba!

[@wildflower_system5125]

I'm also a part of the Steven Universe cult

[@iamextremelytired]

yesss

[@booboobooboo5524]

"BuT yOu DoN't AcT AuTIstIc" - Everyone who I tell I am on the spectrum. I wish more people understood it's more like a color pinwheel, not a sliding scale. The negative media portrays, sadly, dominate the more realistic ones in the average joe's mind. It's get at times frustrating. This is a very well made and informative video, thank you.

[@turkishundelightful5382]

It's like a paint thing spazzing out. You never know what colour or type it will be when it stops or when they are born with it

[@fluffyshinobu]

Wow what douchebags. People don't understand that not all autistic people act the same because there's different forms of it. People need to think about that before they say that.

[@cattycatqueen7643]

I get the same thing alot

[@juanorendain4716]

I relate a lot

[@digijade5245]

Dude, same

[@Cottagecat2368]

I have Autism and in my opinion the good doctor is very bad. They bring up that he has autism way too much and they literally ignore what he says about anything until somebody dies and what he proposed could’ve saved the patient. 💀💀💀

[@goldengoon4073]

I just started season 3 and so far that hasn't happened at all in the series

[@Cottagecat2368]

@@goldengoon4073 it does happen

[@HarukoZ]

Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a good rep in my opinion. The actress that portray the titular character in this show felt genuine and watching her actually gave me more insight of my tics and habits as well. In fact, I would say that show is the reason why I want to explore more of myself.

[@aviesanchez]

Pokemon was a special interest. A big shout out to my highschool math teacher who made specific Pokemon work sheets for me

[@Kdekalcio]

For some reason even though I stopped playing Pokémon for some years I still keep coming back to it every now and then, maybe because I still have that memory when my older brother showed me his Pokémon Emerald and that was when I got into Pokémon at the age of 5 (this is the same case for SSB because I still remember when he showed me he was playing Smash 64 and that got me into Smash at the age of 6) Right now I've decided to reach the goal I never have reached before... beating all Pokémon Leagues while forming a team across all generations to form a ultimate Pokémon team that I will use in the competitive play. Right now I'm about to fight Sabrina in the first region, Kanto btw my favorite Pokémon game is Pokémon Mistery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team (it was my third or second Pokémon game so I might be a bit *biased* ) Update: I'm about to challenge the Elite 4 in Johto. Wish me luck guys Update 2: I'm having difficulties fighting the champion I think my fate was already written from the last time I saved

[@gillianlello7325]

That is so cool!

[@agent_277]

Same 🤗

[@euphratesleap6008]

okay that is literally so epic of them though??

[@sloane.2747]

BTS is my special interest and my special ed teacher knew that so she gave me a BTS album for my 16th birthday. It's really great when you have teachers who care for and listen to you! 😊💜

[@AydenRose04]

Nobody listens to me when I say I’m autistic. They tell me to stop faking, and to stop joking about autism. It makes me feel horrible :( Edit: I am diagnosed ffs. Not that it’s your guy’s fricking business.

[@KayLee-lw5iv]

Same. I explain in excruciating detail what this means and their eyes just glaze over

[@autismrobotrixvcghva1999]

I'll protecc you

[@AydenRose04]

Autism Robotrix VCGH est. 1999 💛

[@yorukaadams940]

I hope you find people who care ❤ even if they're just on the internet! I'll be one.

[@miguelfrancescohogar7501]

That’s actually very sad, I womder what people like that think Autism looks like. Cause it isn’t a physical deformity it affects the brain

[@lizamoonblooded4196]

I'm a special needs writer and I try to write characters who are special needs. I'm realizing that I accidentally wrote an autistic character when I was basing her off myself. I'm not autistic, but I definitely have some traits.

[@Nagareboshee]

I… Am… A SURGEON!

[@Nagareboshee]

I AM A SURGEON, DR. HAN! I… AM A SURGEON!

[@Lee-vt6qo]

I AM A STURGEON

[@purplecoffinman8510]

I AM--I AM A SURGEON! I AM A SURGEON, DR HAN! I AM A SURGEON!

[@WahRizz]

Epic

[@cymikgaming1266]

yes he is

[@twilight-chanloafssanspie1493]

My mom bases her "research" from the good doctor and blames all my mistakes on my autism and thinks I should be doing fantastic in school. I have made mistakes that were 100% my fault but she blames it on my autism or gets extremely mad at me. She acts like I should be this great person when it's really hard for me, especially when she tries to push out of my comfort zone at an extreme level than trying slowly to help me get out of my zone. Her ex was very harsh on my autism telling me to close my mouth or to stop acting childish whilst using it as an excuse to be lazy. I used to hate being autistic but slowly come to accept it.

[@cathrixx1572]

Wow that's just Aufull, patents should Understand that being on spectrum Dosen't mean you have to be Insainely smart,that's not how it works, im sorry if you'r family treats you so harshly,im autistic my self, i hope you get better,even if there are some people who see you as Childish or too smart, there are going to be some people who truly care about you,

[@jolene9756]

sorry for this man, i feel bad. you should speak out about it soon.

[@melissacooper4282]

I feel so sorry for you! An autistic person can be of average intelligence.

[@halexyon]

Twilight-Chan Loafs Sanspie Shaun from The Good Doctor also has Savant Syndrome, so your mom needs to cut some slack off of you

[@mrquake7789]

Agreed

[@LifeAvoiding]

I hate having autism fr, society makes me hate myself and I just wish we had better representation Just yesterday I saw someone respond to a comment with “how are you typing if you’re autistic/you can’t type if you’re autistic” Their typing was.. genuinely almost incomprehensible. 💀

[@optimisticwatermelon]

Where did that even come from? Who taught them that Autistic people can't type? At least 90% of Autistic people I've seen can type better than most neurotypicals I've seen. Although, the Autistic people I've seen were mostly online so..

[@dreamt0wn739]

WHAAT? Oh that’s hilarious 😭

[@GarnachoEmpire712]

I remember someone saying that autistic people shouldn’t have internet access because “the internet is too dangerous for them” STOP INFANTILISING US

[@dreamt0wn739]

@@GarnachoEmpire712 What the hell 😭

[@cupio-stardust]

@@GarnachoEmpire712 I THINK I SAW THE SAME PERSON! I hate it when people act like we’re babies.

[@haloguy432p]

My deadname was Shaun, and having a show come out depicting an autistic guy WITH MY NAME being a super genius, at the same time as I got diagnosed and was in the depths of depression due to a series of bad things in life happening, was insanely frustrating. As I was trying my best (and failing) to go back to school, and barely able to enjoy my own interests, here's a TV show strapping my name to the main character and making those who knew constantly bring it up like it's a good thing, like I was gonna find an interest in medicine or science or something and cure cancer. Sorry for the mini rant, I probably shouldn't say this stuff to strangers on the internet but that's been on my chest for like 5 years now or something. Thanks for reading if anyone does, and great vid showing the not-so-perfect parts of autism lots of people and media like to pretend doesn't exist.

[@tenebrousoul9368]

I'm sorry for your pain.

[@molinagrn65]

I’m glad with this video and currently now that the Good Doctor is being recognized as bad representation for Autism. I remember as an autistic person myself I hated watching it and didn’t really understand why until I realized how bad the autistic representation is. It’s such a shame some media outlets still try to insist it’s good representation when there’s different shows, cartoons and movies that represent it better. My personal comfort movie that my mom showed me as a kid because one of the main characters was autistic was Mary and Max. Even though Max was an older autistic adult, his character was so real to me as a little kid.

[@PiecefulKaos]

From what I've seen, recent social media criticisms of the Good Doctor have mostly focused on the character's meltdowns or non-savant neurodivergent behaviors (like the now infamous "I'm a surgeon" scene that's gone viral or Shaun getting upset in a bathroom), with many claiming it's ridiculous and isn't how autistic people act. I think that's different from criticisms about the show playing into the autistic savant trope, and even in this 4 year old video the creator seems to look favorably on the show's portrayals of Shaun's meltdowns and stimming while mainly criticizing the savant trope. I've also seen several autistic people on social media claim that they felt like Shaun's behaviors matched their own. What do you think about this?

[@molinagrn65]

@@PiecefulKaos If there are people who do identify with Shaun as a character, I’m not gonna say that isn’t valid or say it’s wrong as people identify with many characters. Even those connecting with characters who don’t have a learning disability, mental illness or aren’t explicitly a certain race but have hints to it, stuff like that. I don’t wanna gatekeep people’s relating with characters. However, my problems stem from the fact the Good Doctor has worked with Autism Speaks (which like I’m sorry, if you are someone or a company trying to stand with those with Autism but still advocate or work with Autism Speaks in current year when they’ve already been exposed by autistic people or just by recognizing their history, I don’t have respect for people or creators who still work with them anyway.) Also with Shaun being played by a neurotypical, I don’t believe it’s the actor’s fault but it rubs me the wrong way especially with other examples like John Travolta’s “The Fanatic” and Music by SIA. The savant trope also bothers me, not as much as the top reasons above but it still plays into this Hollywood idea of autistic people being more intelligent or nerdy which feels like such a tired trope, at least to me. I don’t want to say the trope is bad as a whole as there are characters who may fall under it when being autistic but is written better to how autistic people actually deal with it, particularly characters played by autistic actors. It just feels like Hollywood often goes for it a lot with autistic characters, instead of fleshing out other ideas that still apply to autistic people and representation. Also I suppose my takes on those scenes, the meltdown with Shaun did feel ridiculous. Again with the neurotypical acting but also the context of the situation didn’t make Shaun’s character look groundbreaking especially when it’s been confirmed in a surgical environment he couldn’t handle it and Dr. Han was trying to utilize him in a more comfortable position. Along with his ableist comments towards patients, one doesn’t feel realistic that he didn’t learn about bedside manner or conduct with patients as in the real world there would be consequences to his words than just brushing it off. Plus the patients being the ones to teach him these “lessons” just, ehh. 💀 (And feel like the scene with the bathroom or air dryer, would’ve been more realistic if the dryer didn’t seem to shut off or get more quiet when Shaun took his hands off it. 😂 Like if it’s those old white high powered ones, I’d get that as they’d go on forever, super loud and would echo. Maybe that’s a nitpick but I feel like going more realistic with it would’ve added more impact. 🤷) People’s takes on what is good representation are different, these are how I see it as an autistic person.

[@LilPinkFuzzyMonster]

Seriously, pointing out that 'all people on the spectrum are geniuses' did more harm to me than good. I felt like I had an impossible standard to meet. Thank you for this video. Gave me a lot to think about.

[@VideoMatoran]

Same here...

[@edsweet2858]

Dazed oh don’t worry you are a genius

[@theother5594]

My sister had to struggle with the " oh, just like Rainmam" idea :/ So I totaly see why it is a disservice to autistic people assuming they are just weird geniuses. My sister may not be a genius, but she is way cool and I love the way she is.

[@onettaviator5396]

I was feeling the same last year. I had a sped class but also two ap classes that i didn't fail but also didn't do great in. Because of bring labelled by my sped class, I felt like the AP classes balanced me out and made me "normal", but they were so much, y'know? Didn't help there was another autistic kid in one of them who actually wAS a genius and his primary special interest was history, so I always felt pressure to be like him even though my special interests are animated cartoons and nintendo games. This school year I'm gonna be in a sped class again and regular classes only, and I still feel like I'm just slightly worse than average in the back of my head but hey, I've been doing a pretty good job convincing myself otherwise, I'm way less upset over it.

[@BJGvideos]

@@theother5594 I remember when Rainman was considered an unrealistic case because he could communicate and carry on conversations. What's weird is that the guy he's based on, Kim Peek, wasn't autistic!

[@Lil72722]

I’m autistic and want to include autistic characters in my stories, except I have the slightest idea on what autism is and not even how it effects me. This video made it easier, thanks.

[@7PlayingWithFire7]

I wouldnt use this video as a template. She focused too much on making neat little boxes to define every single thing, despite a lot of them being terribly misleading. Stimming for example, for many, has nothing to do with extreme feelings of any kind.

[@nervous_young_inhuman7042]

I'm also autistic and ur profile picture made me so happy because moomin valley is one of my special interests

[@Lil72722]

@@7PlayingWithFire7 probably, most things on the internet are not solid info.

[@Lil72722]

@@nervous_young_inhuman7042 heyyyyy another moomin fan in the wild lol

[@HackieP]

I’m also in that same boat and I’m planning on doing a lot of research. This is one of the videos.

[@feliperoa5821]

I used to see Pearl as a character who had an obsession with Rose, which techincally is true but this video changed my way of seeing her. Don't get me wrong, Pearl is an astronomically amazing character, but you changed the way I see her, if I rewatch Steven Universe, I might relate to her even more than I already do

[@FlagraNightwalker]

You made me realize I’m a Pearl. I keep feeling like I used to be Peridot, and that’s how I wanna be even now. But as someone who has been bullied and parents who looked down on me for being different, I did my best to be the person they wanted to be, even at the cost of messing up my true self. Not only that, I’m like Amethyst a lot too. I know I have flaws and I try not to think about them. I feel like a failure in the real world because I make mistakes and people don’t care if I have autism they don’t have the patience to teach me to do better or learn from my mistakes they just find a reason to fire me for being a “liability” to the company. Amethyst’s breakdown in the kindergarten against Pearl was literally me against my mom. My mom kept blaming my flaws and I felt like I was never good enough. I’m adopted and my adoptive mom is normal. She didn’t know what to do to me so she changed me to be “normal”. I started staying in my room listening to music because I felt like the real me kept disappointing everyone. And when I stepped around anyone, I felt like Pearl, I had to be perfect but I was still flawed and felt insecure about it.

[@buddyart-]

My therapist told me I couldn't be autistic because I was "intelligent" So I like my therapist even less now Good news! I'm no longer seeing the aforementioned therapist and am seeing a counselor that has a connection with the psychologist I've started seeing. The psychologist and counselor have noticed that I have a likelihood of autism and adhd, so they are referring me to a place for an assessment!

[@_.dana._]

mine thinks i could be but doesn’t think it affects me so much now because i learned how to hide it…

[@mrsirgiy]

Slap them across the face

[@rottenappple3716]

@@mrsirgiy valid strat

[@mrsirgiy]

@@rottenappple3716 and not too excessive

[@royalgilpin4922]

A lot of stuff/people in the social sciences are complete bull. Sometimes you just have to trust yourself and not someone else just because they're supposed to be a figure of authority on a subject

[@DapperPaperBag]

Two years ago I wrote an essay for university on The Representation of Autism in the Media. When doing research on Autism, I discovered that I myself was Autistic. Six months ago, I got my official diagnosis.

[@shrimpfriedstudios]

You: *writes paper on autism* Paper: *no u*

[@christiankennedy6376]

That’s a bruh moment

[@11oyd]

Congrats!

[@gachafrost7653]

Congratulations!

[@omgman5745]

Now your one of us😅😅😅

[@izzyxkumatora]

I am actually on the spectrum, (recently diagnosed), and I really have to say thank you for real information. I always cringe at something in the media that involves autism because I know those people are just stereotyping for profit. Really, thank you. :D

[@foolgazer]

I have ADHD and have known of my neurodivergent traits for years, but have been unsure if I am autistic as well. A friend implied that he thinks i am, way back when I didn't know a single thing about autism and had a lot of internalized ableism. Your description of SpongeBob is what made me realize I am 😂 I'm an individual that identifies myself FAR too much with my job, takes it way too seriously for an entry level gig, am crushed and become entirely dysfunctional when something unexpected happens to derail a pattern in my life, I have an extremely difficult time keeping up with friendships, and just keep to myself and my pet. I recently got let go from my job for becoming disabled, and that made me realize how much I attach who I am to my job. Understanding autism is helping me work through it.

[@ThatCatByTheStreet-ln2yc5we7d]

F that job. they should not let some one go for being autistic.

[@foolgazer]

@@ThatCatByTheStreet-ln2yc5we7d they let me go for physical disabilities, not for being autistic, but I agree nonetheless 💛

[@graffiti3932]

I am also on the spectrum, it kinda bothers me when people say "you're autistic? well you don't act like it" It bothers me because most of my traits are internal rather than external.

[@AWlpsSHOW36]

Yeah. IKR?

[@jobdylan5782]

I think that's what some people call a "compliment".

[@wattenslaafje1825]

The thing is that when people say that you don't act like it, it shows they expect autism to be this really blatant thing you can always flawlessly spot by someone's actions. To us, it's not as much a compliment as it feels dismissive of the higher ends of the spectrum. Those same people don't know just how prevalent the diagnosis is. It doesn't feel right to us, because it basically normalises the idea that autism does not come in many forms, and that it's something you can never normally function with. It can have the effect of spreading unintended stereotype ideas, because they cling to the idea of dysfunctional autists being the absolute norm. They are not. Those on the higher end of the spectrum are numerous and just capable of masking it very well. In the cases of it being a compliment, I still don't always like it, since it can also be taken as 'you mask it so well'. Meaning they are basically complimenting me for conforming to society while there should be nothing wrong with being a functioning person with some harmless eccentric ticks or habits. It calls out our quirks that are natural, instinctive and innate to us instead of letting us just be. It's like how several decades ago, gays in public were called out, while they are now on their way of being normalised in society as they should be. Yeah, it deviates from the norm. But it's part of our identity, and calling it out just for the sake of mentioning is just empty. 'I'm gay.' 'You don't act like it.' Duh? Is that a compliment? There is not one posterboy that should be normalised as the golden standard. Just like how people now start to understand not every gay is flamboyant by default. Hope this gives some context.

[@suitov]

"Actually, I act exactly like an autistic. Because I am one. Perhaps you meant I don't act like Sheldon. That's because he isn't real. You can tell he isn't real because he doesn't act like me." (And then you watch their heads explode at this deliberately twisted logic... or just say the first two sentences, yeah, maybe that'd be better...) (Compliment my ass. Do you go up to someone using a cane and say "well your leg LOOKS fine" and expect a thank you?)

[@pikachuneoncat6480]

Same. Alson I gave you your 69th like.

[@dougthedonkey1805]

“Anything slimy, bumpy, or seedy ruins my appetite” Oh boy, you probably have PTSD of the first time you tried a raspberry

[@paris_2518]

Raspberries are slimy 0.o?

[@dougthedonkey1805]

@@paris_2518 the inside jelly bit of them is, it’s a little like the tomato stuff surrounding the seeds

[@Kdekalcio]

The first thing I thought about when reading "raspberry" wasn't the fruit but the phone

[@gayratlord420]

@@Kdekalcio uh bud are you thinking of the phone blackberry??? cause theres not a raspberry phone lmao

[@Kdekalcio]

@@gayratlord420 yes that's what I meant

[@Sai84125]

I have autism and I love seeing representative media because it makes me very happy especially with peridot because she’s one of my favorite characters

[@Sai84125]

I love this video because it helps Nt,s learn more about autism ( nt stands for Nero typical)

[@roseystudio10]

I grew up with undiagnosed autism, and I had an OBSESSION with Pokemon, and knowing what I know about the creator...it makes it so much more special to me. Even my dad was fascinated by my knowledge on the subject, and he had no clue I was different in that way! Yeah Dad, because every little girl spends every spare second within their free time playing their favorite game and watching the show. Yeah Dad, because every little girl didn't know how to keep friends. Yeah Dad, because every little girl cried over the stupidest thing. Yeah Dad, because every little girl walked with their toes. Yeah Dad, because every little girl didn't look people in the eye. I'm not blaming my dad or anything for not getting me diagnosed earlier while he was alive, if anything he was a great dad and he didn't see anything wrong with my differences. It's just looking back...it was all there.

[@clintparsons3989]

I met this one guy in college who could tell you every minute detail and statistic of every high school football team in every high school in the state of Georgia. It was incredible.

[@abbers0737]

My brother can do somewhat the same with NFL games- he could recall stats from the 1950s, and he was 9 at the time. My mom believes he has ADD and just hyper focused on the topics he actually likes, but I do wonder if his behaviors actually point more to being on the spectrum.

[@luuuuux_]

That’s honestly so cool

[@naomigwolfe8112]

I knew a guy who would do the same things with giraffes real neat but I didnt see em for too long unfortunately

[@bingwen469]

@@abbers0737 ADD/ADHD typically has autism that isn't on the spectrum- or at least has the same symptoms without being on the spectrum.

[@mentallyunstable1926]

@@luuuuux_ oh my god.

[@deltasceptile7805]

One of my favorite characters who's implied to be on the spectrum is Newt Scamander from Fantastic Beasts. Even Eddie Redmayne confirmed that this was true as far as his approach to performing as the character.

[@xfallen_angel13x60]

YAAAAASSS ive always adored Newt as a character for those specific reasons! Seeing the little cues and manmerisms w/o it being IN YOUR FACE and whatnot honestly makes me so happy for some reason?

[@LindCreations]

Totally!! I've actually noticed how much Newt is like my little sister a while ago. She's on the spectrum, and able to connect with animals far better than people. I've even seen her managing to gain the trust of even badly abused/terrified critters way faster than the rest of the family. She's also a very proud Hufflepuff :)

[@Blaineiskindagay]

Yeeeeeesssss

[@princesssparrow4530]

Newt is teaching us a very important lesson: Being autistic can't stop you from being a cutie💕

[@someonessidechannel1485]

I knew there had to be a reason I loved and related to him so much when I was kinda "its cool magic I guess" on the rest of the HP universe

[@wraithwrecker_]

The Good Doctor has been getting some renewed attention online recently, so I wanted to see some criticism of the show as autistic representation, and I came across your video. Incredibly well written and informative. I learned a LOT and really appreciate how much work went into putting this video together. Cheers!

[@WierdArtistMarcell]

My favourite spectrum headcannon character is Craig Tucker from South Park. Even though he isn't canonised as on the spectrum, the creators of South park have shown to be open to canonising Headcannons. Like how the fandom had been headcannon-ing Craig being interested in space long before we even saw Craig's bedroom, and now in later seasons and games, Craig's room is full of space posters and such. Not to mention canonising Tweek and Craig's relationship.

[@TheQueerTailor]

I have the unfortunate tendency for my special interests to be like super dark. My first was shipwrecks, then epidemics, then the Holocaust, then forensic anthropology. This... didn’t go over well with my allistic peers. But hey, now I’m a Holocaust historian so everyone who teased me can suck it!

[@MrsStormtrooper]

The holocaust and forensic anthropology are also some of mine! :) I'm happy you became an historian!

[@frozenyogurth]

Uhm, those interests are dope as fuck, don't let anyone rain on your parade

[@sta._rina]

You must've been pretty prepared for when Covid hit then-

[@octoratta]

same one of mine is like deadly gastrointestinal diseases and stuff currently i like talking about hernias

[@Damascene_]

@@octoratta i have a weaker-than-special-interest-but-still-obsession with pathogens, and actually tracked multiple news sources to update my class when covid was still called the “novel coronavirus”

[@Sillykat420]

SpongeBob: **is best friends with Gary** Patrick: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@jooree7696]

Also, basically everyone in the show likes spongebob (aside from squidward, neptune and in some episodes pearl)

[@jolinerogge3803]

@@jooree7696 mrs puff: Am I a joke to you?

[@0libu981]

@@jooree7696 I thought you meant pearl from Steven universe for a second

[@charlesturner897]

Patrick isn't SpongeBob's friend, he's a horrible person and borderline abusive.

[@foreverbuilder8698]

@@charlesturner897 wait i havent seen the show before this fr??

[@xsavagelovex2209]

I haven't been diagnosed with Autism but I have been diagnosed with ADHD and honestly, it feels validating to hear someone talk about stimming as I have been poked at for doing so. When I was little I would constantly be reprimanded for leg bouncing as it came off as annoying and would shake the car when on trips. I also have had a substitute teacher joke that I could power a whole city with my leg bouncing which made me feel extremely uncomfortable especially since he said that when the room was dead quiet and put all the attention on me. I also have been known to "wiggle" when I'm happy or eat something really good which has also been pointed out by people. I still bounce my leg and have Recently found that rocking back and forth feels extremely comforting. I always assumed it was just something wrong with me so it feels nice to see that other people experience this too.

[@sharkwar4284]

it can't be a coincidence that this got recommended to me now

[@IceFireofVoid]

I've been avoiding this for a while. I had a bad experience where my mom used to watch a show that featured a character that was a glamorized version of Autism. Because of this, she became convinced Autism was synonymous with someone who was highly intelligent, with none of the downsides. She wanted me and my sisters to be on the spectrum because it would make us special and smart. She made me get a professional to evaluate me, and the professional concluded I was highly unlikely to be on the spectrum. My mom actually became ANGRY about this, said I was lying about my answers, and for years she would tell people in the family I was Autistic behind my back. I think it's important to have proper characterization of mental illness. People glamorizing it bother me a lot. It's been years and I think my mom got over it. I'm currently in a relationship with a man who IS on the spectrum. It's good to have good representation so I can better understand him and what he goes through because his mind doesn't work like mine.

[@karlwilker579]

Jesus. That... was not good. Great to hear you found a soulmate though.

[@kiwi.kiwi.]

People on the spectrum are highly intelligent such as me, in fact you can also have a correlation with giftedness which means higher intelligence compared to the general population ability if you're autistic. But that's not all. It has downsides and coping with things such as anxiety, sensory overloads and meltdowns when autistic can be really difficult. Your mother was out of her mind and she wasn't educated well on this.

[@kiwi.kiwi.]

@KEPLER that's what I meant! all autistic people are not the same too.

[@Apollo_G]

Damn, do you know what show that was?

[@IceFireofVoid]

@@Apollo_G it might have been the Big Bang Theory? But I’m not sure because I don’t watch it

[@de-void1872]

ADHD is surprisingly simaler to autism with lack of motivation. I struggle to do stuff I'm not interested in to the point of panic attacks trying to do it

[@justsome500yearoldwithsmug2]

Yo same here! I start on something new due to me being a dev and I get bored of said project but I feel everyone is gonna judge me for doing a new one although my mum said ADHD and autism are the same?

[@user-kj9hd5mp3m]

@@justsome500yearoldwithsmug2 here is what i found from google. it might not be true or something. "Although they share many of the same symptoms, the two are distinct conditions. Autism spectrum disorders are a series of related developmental disorders that can affect language skills, behavior, social interactions, and the ability to learn. ADHD impacts the way the brain grows and develops. And you can have both."

[@AngelC4K3]

Hi, I can relate to your username.

[@melissacooper4282]

I work with a young man who has both ADHD and a mild form of autism.

[@de-void1872]

@@justsome500yearoldwithsmug2 not the same. your mum seems to have the case of crazy lol

[@CrosshairsProductions]

Just wanted to say thank you for making this video. Today I was diagnosed officially with ASD which is a massive relief to myself but finding this video randomly over a year ago was so important to me beginning the process!

[@TescoValueMemes369]

My special interest is being a surgeon

[@Stephie2007]

netflix's "Atypical" is also a poor representation of Autism in the media. Apparently, the producers of this show consulted groups like Autism Speaks for "research". Bad idea.

[@SitahTaylorsversion]

Stephie2007 wait can you say more about this? I have seen atypical and i thought it was pretty good even tho i couldn’t relate to it at all (but that’s because i have other symptoms) but atleast they didn’t use the genius stereotype. Sorry for the bad english it isn’t my first language Also I do agree it is really bad if they consulted autism speak for research

[@Shinyarc]

Stephie2007 At least it’s not Everything’s Gonna Be OK. That show was incredibly inaccurate

[@TimurTripp2]

Atypical is a better representation. Still has some problems but closer to getting it right.

[@synrgi]

Atypical's portrayal of the main character was ok, but, ironically, quite stereotypical. Also, now that you told me they consulted A$ for that, it doesn't come as much of a coincidence that Sam's room is blue

[@connordervoncyberlifegesen8529]

Stephie2007 wow. A bad streaming site consults a poorly researched autism group for info about autism. What could go wrong?

[@Some_Doggo]

Also may I add, yes, sometimes people on the spectrum can switch special interests a lot, but PLEASE don’t say something like “You’ll be over this in a month. You go through hobbies like shoes.” Literally all this does is make us feel like our interests don’t matter because we’ll “just drop it in a month.”

[@deffdefying4803]

"It's just a phase!" OK sure Karen but this phase means a lot to me

[@Zeqweery]

Corey Playz can tell since you play roblox

[@ChaoticMushy]

@@Zeqweery well that was uncalled for

[@sludge.eater6]

@@Zeqweery shut up

[@mordredthemightymetalhead292]

@@Zeqweery *OOF* (actually that insult is really weak and petty, but wth)

[@RealestShaggyRogers]

The points you made about spongebob possibly being autistic rings a couple bells towards me sharing these patterns too. Hyper fixation, nervous or upset when things don't go acording to plan (even slightly off) and the laughing for no aparent reason are all things that I can recall me doing without noticing me doing it in the moment.

[@Miraeshi]

I study mental health and society in South Korea, which is where the show The Good Doctor is actually originally from. It makes sense in this context that it highlighted autism incorrectly because Korea is extremely underdeveloped in public knowledge of mental health, disabilities, and special abilities. Stigma is also extremely high here. It’s just crazy to see how it was translated into an English adaptation without much thought

[@atheistsanonymous5376]

When someone says a joke I find particularly funny I repeat the punchline quietly to myself anyone else do this?

[@karlai.cruzdeleon5097]

Sometimes

[@thefool8750]

When I was a kid, I used to pause the show I was watching and then explain the joke to my teddy bear. it was a weird time in my life.

[@Jacob-TNK]

all the time

[@TheBestDrunkDriver]

Atheists Anonymous no but I like to tell dark humor jokes like why can't orphans play baseball,cause they don't know where home is.

[@jeongna]

MOOD

[@chickadeestevenson5440]

I've seen a good example in Newt Scamander. He tenses up when he hugs, he avoids eye contact, he's calmer with animals than people, and he even warns that his brother is a "hugger" and he flirts weird.

[@garret1930]

Ah, that makes so much sense.

[@jeosenigelson4684]

It felt good to learn that the creator of Pokémon is part of the spectrum. Made me feel a little less alone.

[@Mooms]

Unfortunately it’s not true. It was a false rumor that spread out of control

[@kayahm.4844]

wow hearing your explaination of Pearl literally brought me to tears, and i've never fully watched Steven universe. I've just recently discovered im likely undaignoised autistic and everything you said about Pearl just resonated so much. Amazing video :)

[@iridescentaurora268]

Your explanation of “special interests” is a near perfect summary of why I’ve never managed to be a “good student” in school. I’ve only ever cared about drawing, fictional writing, specific aspects history, and a few other things. Made getting good grades in other subjects nearly impossible for me. I’ve never gotten a diagnosis, but I may very well be on the spectrum, myself.

[@RandomSkyeRoses]

A lot of people with autism often struggle in school because they struggle to adjust to new environments. It doesn't help when teachers write them off as being a problem. A lot of autistic people don't get diagnosed cause people are uneducated about it or parents are in denial. When diagnosed early, that person could find better ways to cope vs someone who is diagnosed later on in life

[@TunnelJumper]

@@RandomSkyeRoses I have an appointment with my doctor on Monday to get myself referred to a specialist. I'm 28 and have considered the possibility of being on the spectrum over the years but brushed it under the carpet I guess. I have no doubts anymore. There were several very obvious situations I found myself in when I was in middle school and high school. Situations involving kids embarrassing me in front of the entire class because I was incredibly gullible and naive at an age where it didn't make sense for me to still be that way. My teachers witnessed these situations and should have spoken up about them to my parents or somebody else in a position to tell my parents, but they didn't. I harbour a lot of resentment toward them for that because it could have saved me from a lot of suffering and low self esteem over my "boring" personality, though a longtime friend recently told me that everyone appreciated me for being very accepting, a good listener and having deep and genuine conversations rather than being loud and obnoxious, or what I perceived as being "fun," therefore "better than me." I guess I've learned to cope over the years but nothing feels organic. It feels like I'm constantly acting. I'm a waiter and my boss has really been laying into me lately about how inflexible I am with rules of the restaurant and how despite getting along wonderfully with many regulars and being good at my job, I will treat customers really badly if they break rules or do things I assume to be malicious, even if they don't mean to--which I perceive as being careless and therefore unacceptable and inherently malicious lmfao. That's the only way I can describe it. I guess I'll know for sure soon.

[@RandomSkyeRoses]

@@TunnelJumper You could only find out for sure at the doctors

[@cattycatqueen7643]

@@TunnelJumper did you find out?

[@TunnelJumper]

@@cattycatqueen7643 Thank you for asking but no, not yet. My GP gave me a referral to CAMH here in Toronto but it'll be at least a couple of months before anyone can see me. I cannot expedite the process unfortunately as I do not have insurance.

[@fordhoffmann477]

I'm on the spectrum too. My special interests are astronomy, storytelling, and Minecraft. And I love making lists, like that one :)

[@shearedsheep7009]

Mine are biology and evolution

[@jamesbuckingham7765]

Omg storytelling sounds awesome! I bet you tell the BEST storys!

[@RandomDragonEXE]

*Special interest activated* I LOVE ASTRONOMY TOO!!

[@onesuperpsycho3615]

OOO storytelling!! I could make pictures i love drawing

[@sambradley9091]

I like Minecraft too! I could probably share a ridiculous amount of info about it, same with astronomy, I memorized every star in the Orion constellation when I was in the 4th grade

[@OliveTheGardenSnail]

I feel like Pearl is a very realistic example of what a certain type of traumatized autistic person may act like. All of those anxious stims really say a lot about her history, and as someone with a childhood full of trauma I act in a VERY similar way. The fact that I connected with specifically Pearl and little bit Peridot should've been my first clue that I was an undiagnosed traumatized autistic child. ;v;

[@Living_In_Paradise]

Not the surgeon guy💀

[@brunorubim8634]

I'm pretty sure he is a surgeon

[@myexternalheartbeats1693]

The good doctor is based on the Korean series that is based on a REAL doctor who went through great difficulty to become who he is

[@michaelcinelli4120]

What's the Korean seies's name? I'd rather watch that; The Good Doctor feels like a slap in the face.

[@myexternalheartbeats1693]

@@michaelcinelli4120 굿 닥터

[@michaelcinelli4120]

In English? Is it on Netflix or where do I look?

[@myexternalheartbeats1693]

@@michaelcinelli4120 it's Korean for Good Doctor. I'm not sure where you can legally watch the series.

[@heatherallen5521]

It’s on Netflix, watched the whole thing and it was really good 👍🏻

[@ElenaTheKid]

Another really good character for autism representation is Entrapta from She-ra and the princess of power. I would highly recommend watching it.

[@stingrae919]

Elena I love Entrapta so muchhhhhh!!!!!

[@dizzwrizz]

oh my gosh yessshhh

[@dumpling_ssoup]

We stan Entrapta here

[@unwelldanny7108]

Maybe I should watch it more.

[@WhisperStudios]

Entrapta is my fav character,

[@lollypopsieandjellybean4643]

I told a girl I had autism and adhd and many others (can’t list them off the top of my head) and she said “WHAT?! I thought you were normal!?” I figured out half an hour later that she was joking. PHEW, almost died for a second. 😂

[@Dani-uj2cv]

One of my favorite canonically autistic characters is Dr. Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds because he's allowed to grow, character wise, and while he's treated differently due to being the youngest, he's not really babied. Another good thing is that there are several times where he's called autistic. They use autism, not Aspergers, which I find surprising cause it's an older show. He's also allowed to struggle with things that usually only allistic characters struggle with, from romance to addiction. There's probably plenty of issues with Reid's character too, but I still love him for those details. He's also shown to be very smart, but not smarter than the people around him. They all fairly equally solve the problems throughout the show, it's not just Reid. Plus, his social awkwardness is done very realistically. I just love his character.

[@DiiAcid]

Peridot: Me as a child Pearl: Me as an adult Conclusion? Feels bad man..

[@sophiebyers5496]

Luv Flowers I’m like that too...

[@SeymourDisapproves]

Yeah

[@Princess-ee8rt]

NoneOfYourBiz87 me !!! ✋

[@mechanicalazure5238]

Pearl is me in my school peridot is me at home

[@lxstfulgrxvestone69420]

Peridot is me right now

[@Supermariorpg6]

I'm autistic, and it's refreshing of watching a positive video about us for once instead of being demonize/bullied by majority of the public.

[@Supermariorpg6]

@marianne mccrank Exactly.

[@joadarium9605]

I am so happy this is being talked about. And that people GO WITH ACCEPTANCE OVER AWARNESS THIS MAKES ME SO HAPPY 😭 i really hope this is covered more.

[@K1000Master]

As an autistic person myself, I had NO idea about the concepts of stimming until this video. I always thought "oh. That's just a habit i do". That, and thanks to this video, I understand a little bit more of myself, so, thank you ^^

[@jabulinatheseal1406]

My cousin has a form of autism where he can’t really communicate. He can only say certain words that I can understand. I wish I could communicate with him better :(

[@lulwsam864]

Jabulina The seal there are a bunch of resources for nonverbal autistics and their relatives online !!! a lot of them cost money though and that really sucks but there are apps that help so much

[@drstrangelove307]

lulwsam please tell me you got links for those resources, I’m really in dire need of them

[@RemHayden1806]

@@lulwsam864 link them for Dr Strangelove.

[@BritAltie]

@@lulwsam864 Link them

[@lulwsam864]

@@BritAltie oh hey!! i'm back, sorry for being so late. theres an app called otismo (which as far as i know is free!) then there's somethng called quicktalker freestyle which should be another good one, i don't have any experience with that one but people that do should have good feedback!

[@vanessachavez8781]

When people find out my son is Autisic, they usually ask me what his special skill/talent is. It's weird to me🤷

[@PlanetShlorpian]

Yeah it’s weird. I’m on the spectrum but I have a normal IQ but I still am just okay or flat out suck at most things.

[@LordofFullmetal]

@@PlanetShlorpian Probably just because you don't practice them enough. When you're practicing something every day it's impossible not to get at least decent at it. I'm guessing you just haven't hit upon that one thing you really love doing yet.

[@robokill387]

@@LordofFullmetal yeah, but the point they're making is that Autistic people aren't magical elves who are all born with a single innate talent that the are amazing at without practice, that's a common belief.

[@warriorcatsofmysteryclan2240]

I guess they're just trying to understand him better, but it is important to tell them that autistic people are usually more than their special interests, even if they do take up about 90% of our lives.

[@travisbewley7084]

IQ is only a specific kind of intelligence and is about generalizing and working problem space. You can still have amazing intelligence but maybe just not on a useful topic or one that other people value, doesn't mean you aren't good at it.

[@merge9585]

I learned quite a lot. Thank you. I'm aroace, so the broken feeling hit really close to home. No one should ever feel that way just because they're different. Learning you're different is just half the battle. We gotta spread awareness so no one feels broken to begin with :D

[@Gedi2211]

I'm a person who happens to have High Functioning Autism. I understand what it is and in the years since I've been diagnosed it has been managed tremendously well. Growing up, I never really felt like an outcast, even in Preschool and School. I tend to be shy and introverted but when I get to know people, I have no problem interacting with them. I do prefer to work alone but I do work with others when it is needed. I am generally quiet but I do speak up when I have something important to say and I know when to restrain myself. I usually think before speaking. I have a brain which functions differently to how a normal person's brain functions. When it comes to autistic characters in media, especially ones I have seen lately, I never really cared about them. Any character that has been confirmed to be autistic is something I do not care about. My favourite characters have been ones that don't have autism and encompass people of different ethnicities and non-humans. Female characters as well. Anime naturally has Japanese characters and I have several favourites among them. John Stewart is my favourite DC character. Wyatt Williams is my favourite 6teen character. Arya Stark is my favourite Game of Thrones character, and Freeza is my favourite Dragon Ball character. John and Wyatt happen to be black, Arya is female and Freeza is an alien. I'm a man who is white and has high functioning autism. If the media is trying to appease me by bringing in autistic characters or confirming certain characters to be autistic, then they are failing. I do not need to be appeased. My autism does not define me as a person and I am not interested in preaching autism. Everybody's different and people including autistic people have different experiences growing up and have had their own ways of dealing with things.

[@Gagiclunk]

The worst thing I fear is people thinking less of me because of my autism

[@pingusenpai3660]

SOLDER FROM TF2

[@Skii092]

Same Bro

[@thetruefoxking2098]

Thats why I tend not to mention my autism at work cause I'm afraid of being treated badly or like I'm slow

[@FurKid_the_Gg_roo_99]

Imagine having ASD (formerly Asperger's), ADHD, a Skittle, & being part of a Skittle-packed community that's commonly mocked on the internet though. /j (take the hint)

[@homosixual6189]

We had a day in my school for Autism Awareness Month where the autistic girls in my school made speeches on being on the spectrum and made everyone cry

[@shadowqueen6485]

@Keira Devanney that must suck to not no what that Is!

[@MidnightDarkness666]

Really awesome that the girls were given voice as there is a misconception that they are a minority on the spectrum.

[@j.clementec.m.1558]

I doubt it

[@cokesister2974]

I once did this when I was in 5th grade! I was the only one who did it and I came up with the entire idea myself I used to work for the news team at my school when I was in 5th grade so my plan was to go up onto the announcement and list a couple of famous people on the Spectrum and that was one of my luckiest days it was even the day of the book fair!

[@cokesister2974]

@@princessbinas I don't really believe that to be true of course there are some girls who are extremely emotional so on but some girls are transgender or just tomboys and I knew a couple of girls who could be physically seen as autistic, I used to have one in my class one of them was named Mia she had severe autism and had a lot of issues with crying and screaming! And of course you are correct cuz some women on the Spectrum if they are high-functioning they do tempt to sometimes be more like normal women but that's until you might see something different in them for me I used to jump in public and stuff but then I started being more aware of my surroundings and I started to hide a lot of it inside of me some of us just like to hide it because we don't feel comfortable!

[@purplegalaxies2149]

I've just recently been diagnosed with ADHD and of being on the spectrum myself. Maybe there was a reason as to why I loved Peridot so much lol She and Spinel are, like, the ONLY definitive favourite characters that I have. I love the rest of the cast, but I favor and love everything that has Peridot or Spinel in them a lot more.

[@theminimoyknight4224]

This really gets me. I have been on the Autism Spectrum since age 4. Thank you so much for making this, especially adding one of my favorite actors: Freddie Highmore!

[@Ornithopter7186]

i really HATE when people use autism or gay as a insult some people can't help being who they are

[@syzchoron16]

You would despise the commentary in my classroom. They always do that.

[@lofikaiju]

@@syzchoron16 sucks to hear that. As a person in the LGBT community anybody who uses homosexuality as an insult is the bane of my existence

[@syzchoron16]

You would really loathe my classmates. They never stop saying those things.

[@lofikaiju]

Well, I do now. It hurts me to think that 'gay' is used as an insult when some of the most wholesome people I know are gay.

[@lofikaiju]

@@syzchoron16 please tell me it's not the entire class

[@Patheticboytoy]

“Special interest” Me: *sweats nervously, gripping my mlp toys and my ww1 and ww2 books and hello kitty merch and anime merch with fnaf merch as well* edit: SO I WOULD CHANGE THIS TO MY INTRESTS NOW BUT I THINK ITS FUNNY THAT LIKE NOW MY INTRESTS CHANGED IMMENSLEY AND I THOUGHT ID SHARE THEM WITH YOU TO SEE HOW MUCH THEY HAVE CHANGED LMAOO i now am obsessed with john carpenters Halloween and a couple other movies from the Halloween franchise...Im also very obsessed with any 70s-90s horror films....along with a horror themed game called Dead by daylight along with 70s-90s music and fashion (ive always liked this along with horror ,my intrests are usually the same, just they leave and come back like a year later etc. LMAO (ANOTHER EDIT SJJDFJF) I am now obsessed with stranger things again and (specifically Steve Harrington JSJSJD)

[@thatoneradicalizedprussian225]

*sweats nervously trying to hide the sturmpanzerwagen and trenches in my backyard*

[@Patheticboytoy]

Imperial Officer felt this comment

[@neargaming2057]

I hate that when I saw MLP and WW1 as two of your main interests I remembered the MAD parody My Little War Horse

[@starfleetcomm]

Me shaking cluching my steven universe drawings my doctor who posters and my ravaenclaw robe and my wand*

[@Patheticboytoy]

FlaminTNT thanks lol

[@miguelangelaraya1700]

as someone autisitc pearl has been the character i relate to the most, ever, like, i started watching the show when i was 12 and even now at age 21 pearl is still the character i relate to the most in fiction, even her whole story with rose (loyalty), her reactions, her lack of social understanding, when she tries to fit in, her stimming, special interests, being chatty AAAA, she's me frfr

[@Darvit_Nu]

WOW! You did a fantastic job explaining the nuances of being on the autism spectrum. There are so many things you mentioned that I think more people need to know, whether they are on the spectrum or are neurotypical because we are all different but also have similarities. Even if someone doesn't know anyone with autism, it's only a matter of time before they do meet someone who is on the spectrum.

[@zuan1377]

My brother is on the spectrum, he’s an incredible kid, and I love him to death. Even though I may struggle communicating with him a bit. He’s hella smart and capable, sometimes i’m even jealous of his intelligence. But i KNOW he will make amazing things in the future, especially since he’s already programming things and making his own games at this age. I’m a proud big sis, and honestly, I wish I could be a bit more like him. Please be kind to people, you may not know what’s going on in their lives

[@sparklingstarsforeverinthe493]

Zua 15 oh my goodness!! Same it’s as if you read my mind! My brother also shows empathy for other kids but stays by himself and he doesn’t know when he’s hurting anyone or him self and is a severe flight risk. He shows signs of discomfort when seeing/ hearing a baby cry , he is sensitive to sound but his reaction to others crying is actually heart warming; he pulls his baby bro’s arms ( when the young one couldn’t walk) towards mom every time he cry’s but before pulling him toward mom, he observes what is happening with intensity if he can GIVE HIM what he wants he will with a lot of hesitation ( but it’s such a good try!)

[@sparklingstarsforeverinthe493]

Zua 15 I wholeheartedly agree to everything you said 🎀

[@levimicheal5614]

My sister is the same. I love her to death and wish nothing more for her to achieve her dreams.

[@lxstfulgrxvestone69420]

Applaud for Zua 15 for giving out great advice and a speech and information related to this video

[@xxbarry_blyat69xx5]

Zua 15 I think you might be my sister... this perfectly describes me! Do you live In New Zealand?

[@gabyyyyyyyyy]

I noticed she was a lot more excited and fast talking in the steven universe example and it somehow made me happy :)

[@soutrue310]

same, it's nice to hear another person talk about an interest of mine aswell.

[@optimisticwatermelon]

I noticed that like 20 seconds in when she started talking about it, I do the same with video games and stuff lol

[@ooser707]

Wow I've never watched Steven Universe, but the part where you talk about both characters made me emotional! Loved the video, thank you for sharing

[@sisterfriska.k.a.queentwin6829]

I'm not even halfway through the video but it really makes me happy that you'd take the time out to make it. It literally made me happy cry tysm

[@fuckablepancakes]

I have Aspergers and I’m insanely interested in how the world will end, technology, and government plus economics and how that correlates with morality. My vocabulary was tested in first grade (i was 7) and it was at the level of a 13 year old. I always hate it when people say “girls don’t have autism” or “you don’t look autistic” because the media and stereotypes make people think that autistic people are mainly males that are good at math and puzzles but thats simply not always the case, I’m a female and i suck at math but i still enjoy it when and if i can understand it!

[@malcolmlloydandrileyproduc6451]

Something about you makes me sick

[@fuckablepancakes]

malcolm lloyd probably my username

[@malcolmlloydandrileyproduc6451]

@@fuckablepancakes and the wall of text

[@fuckablepancakes]

malcolm lloyd well you read it so why is that my problem?

[@malcolmlloydandrileyproduc6451]

@@fuckablepancakes no

[@0dd0n3]

The fact that Dan Harmon and the creator of Pokemon are on the spectrum makes autistic me very motivated to keep following my dreams of becoming a show creator, thanks for this lovely vid too!

[@schokodrinkfurimmer8230]

Good luck!

[@tessfabled4115]

Same same mate ;)

[@reasyrandom]

I really want to, once I finish school.

[@schokodrinkfurimmer8230]

@@reasyrandom You can do it!

[@reasyrandom]

@@schokodrinkfurimmer8230 I hope so

[@idkwhattonamemyself6357]

As someone who is autistic (Asperger’s) I even learned some stuff, this was really informative to people who are and aren’t autistic, I really think a lot of people should see this video.