I'm Fucking Speechless

I’ve been cooking this one for a while, but with the most recent “The Bad Batch” episode, I feel this is timely. 

Before I go into it, I want to get it out there that there is NOTHING WRONG with HC-ing an autistic character or an autistically-coded character as Aro/Ace, and there is NOTHING WRONG with being an Aro/Ace Autistic/Autistic person. My issue is with a PATTERN and not any specific HCs that I’ve come across. I also need to say that my Autistic experience is not the same as anyone else’s, I cannot and do not speak for all Autistic people. We exist on a spectrum here. I will also be using Autistic and Autistic person interchangeably here because I have no personal preference, though others might.

That being said, I notice that A LOT, if not MOST Autistically-coded characters are popularly headcanoned as Aro/Ace in their respective fandoms. Sometimes there’s canon evidence and sometimes there’s not. Some of them I agree with and others...make me wonder if they’re just being thought of that way because of the pervasive stereotype that Autistics are incapable of romantic or sexual feelings. 

In my own experience, I’ve had a handful of encounters where people are really shocked that I’m in a committed romantic relationship and that I am very comfortable with my sexuality and sexuality in general. It goes hand in hand with the typical “you don’t LOOK Autistic” response from people. It’s all part of a wider stereotype that infantilizes neurodivergents, separating them from commonly recognized markers of adulthood (and by extension, personhood) like a developed sex drive, desire to be romantically close with others, and independence. None of these things actually define what an adult person is, by the way.  

In those encounters, I usually feel infantilized and talked down to. It’s an unpleasant reality of my life that I can usually escape from in my fandoms, but echoes of it resonate in previously safe spaces with this pattern. I have to wonder if everybody is actually thinking their HCs through or if they’re just slapping “Aro/Ace” onto the character because they subconsciously don’t think of Autistic people as capable of romantic or sexual feelings, especially with characters that actually have canon romantic/sexual feelings ON SCREEN or CONFIRMED by the creators. (I thought about providing examples of Autistic/Autistically-coded characters that get Aro/Ace headcanoned often here, in spite of canon evidence to the contrary, but headcanons are supposed to be fun and I don’t want to start an argument about these characters here, especially if that headcanon is important to someone).

In summary, the Autistic community is an incredibly diverse one with people of all walks of life. Please don’t shunt us into just one way of being because of stereotypes, even if we’re just fictional characters.

Also, please watch Overly Sarcastic’s Trope Talk on Robots for a nice little lesson on coding and how it affects the Neurodivergent and Aro/Ace communities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZGRdxP_8Js&t=1s

Hi! sorry this is random but I couldn't keep pedaling around the site without stopping to mention how your banner took me out back and stomped me into the curb /pos anyhoo, carry on

CRYING, SCREAMING, THROWING UP MY FIRST ASK EVER

Thank you!!! It had me by the throat and would not let go until I'd drawn it. And no pressure to do so, but if you'd like it as a sticker or magnet I have it on my Redbubble page :3

Excellent content as per usual, fucking SUPERB--

Alright. I just had to get some of this shit on paper. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I like to imagine they're blasting T. Swift to appease the younger brothers and Donnie is this close to violence.

Reblog and put the species of the nearest stuffed animal

Doodle dump pt 2

Additional sketches for Chapter 3 featuring Fae. She is based on an earlier OC of mine but she's going to be very different from her in many, many ways.

Rise Baby, Rise Baby: The Musical!

Chapter 3 is up!

Let's see what the fuss about Dance Club is all about...and meet a new friend :3

Watching Phee Genoa eye up Tech like

✨️converge,✨️ my autistic kins.

donnie in the autism polls got me thinkin