This post is part of today’s “Autistic People Should” flash blog where Autistic bloggers are writing about positive things that Autistic people should do. Why? Because if you type “Autistic people should” into either Google or Bing’s search engine query box, the autocomplete results–the most popular searches starting with those words–are disturbing and upsetting, especially if you’re Autistic or love someone who is.

Trigger Warning:  I’ve posted a screenshot of the text from Google’s autocomplete at the end of this post and as I said above, it may be very upsetting if you are Autistic or care for someone who is.

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Autistic people should: question everything.

When we’re given an autism spectrum diagnosis, we’ve also given a model of what it means to be autistic.

Question the model.

Start here:

What does your word cloud for autism look like?

Question the assumptions.

Is there a right way to play?

To learn?

To think?

To love?

To communicate?

Question the research.

Who says?

How do they know?

Who paid for it?

Now what?

Question the stereotypes.

Nonverbal headbanger?

Idiot savant?

Inspirational angel?

Boy genius?

Lovable eccentric?

Unloveable recluse?

High-functioning aspie?

Dangerous loner?

Question the experts.

How do they know?

Are they sure?

What if they’re wrong?

Question the language.

Disorder, deficit, disability, difference?

Cured, recovered, coping, adapting, passing?

Label, slur, identity?

Person with autism, autistic, Autistic, aspie, autie?

Locked in, trapped, uncommunicative, nonverbal, nonspeaking, unvoiced?

Question the hype.

Epidemic?

Tragedy?

Burden to society?

Really?

Says who?

Question the fundamental fabric of humanity.

What is empathy?

What is love?

What is communication?

Question

every

single

should

must

can’t

won’t

never

always

Question this:

and this:

and this:

and this:

Question everything.

Question what you read, what you hear, what you see, what you are told.

Question what you think.

Most of all . . .

Question the hate.