this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2026
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Chapotraphouse

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[–] purpleworm@hexbear.net 46 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

My special interests are building explosives and mapping out assassination plans, don't be ableist by calling me a fed!

But genuinely, I agree that there is a terrible bias against autistic and otherwise ND people and it's so frustrating to deal with.

Oh? You're not a fed? Name every train and hedgehog popuko-gun

[–] distal@lemmy.ml 35 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (6 children)

It seems to be a general theme that people don't trust them, but it's especially heartbreaking that otherwise inclusive places will discriminate against them the worst. Left wing scenes are socially coded against "dorks," so the people who become popular in these scenes tend to be on the bully side of things in my experience. Reactionaries use this very dynamic to recruit outcasts of all sorts.

[–] BeanisBrain@hexbear.net 23 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Left wing scenes are socially coded against "dorks,"

Ironically enough, I notice this in online spaces more than real life ones. You've got TrueAnon's "be normal," its subreddit embracing ableist slurs, that whole Cum Town segment making fun of someone for saying virgin shaming is bad, people on this very site saying "bring back bullying," etc.

Meanwhile, the IRL leftist organizing spaces I've been in have been full of unabashed nerds and very good about not tolerating ableism.

[–] Caitycat@hexbear.net 22 points 2 days ago

"Bring back bullying" is always the lamest shit. Anyone who still says that needs to do some genuine introspection.

[–] Cysioland@lemmygrad.ml 11 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Honestly I'm starting to think that Brace Belden is a left-ish version of Robert Evans (derogatory).

[–] SkingradGuard@hexbear.net 6 points 2 days ago

He's an ass that is sometimes funny

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[–] distal@lemmy.ml 25 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

And don't get me started on the people who describe themselves as autistic (who might be in fact of course be autistic) but will throw anyone more autistic than them under the bus. Same dynamic with the stupid debate about the lumpen proletariat that was one of Engels' – the great man who gave us Dialectics of Nature – (many) bad ideas beloved by him.

To be fair to Engels, he was an outstanding journalist.

[–] BeanisBrain@hexbear.net 23 points 2 days ago

And don't get me started on the people who describe themselves as autistic (who might be in fact of course be autistic) but will throw anyone more autistic than them under the bus.

[–] Moomoo_Milk@hexbear.net 11 points 2 days ago

I feel as though some of that boils down to the “I’m autistic, but I’m not like that!” mentality that exists for some. For example, I am autistic but am very capable of making it in social situations aside from the uncommon moment where I completely misread a cue or two and everything gets awkward. However, then you look at my sweet wife, who is entirely incapable of being social for a number of reasons. We are both autistic, but our capabilities differ significantly. Folks, including other autistic individuals, need to remember that those on the spectrum come in many different varieties. Have empathy and understanding for them to the best of your abilities.

[–] Athena5898@hexbear.net 13 points 2 days ago

Anyone who throws fellow autistic people to the killing machine that is capitalist society and pressures are some of the worst class traitors.

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[–] Big@hexbear.net 31 points 2 days ago (3 children)

I have the Autism Gait. I've been told that I walk like a cop.

[–] EmmaGoldman@hexbear.net 14 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

That's really bizarre. Cops tend to keep their head on a swivel and walk a straight line with very efficient body movements. I kinda walk like a cop because I used to be a long distance hiker before I exploded my knees.

The autism gait is essentially the exact opposite, clumsy and uncoordinated body movements, typically unable to follow a straight line, and usually looking down at the ground at their destination. The pelvis is tilted incorrectly and there's a slight lean.

I think the only behavioral thing that might be in common would be having bent arms. Autistic people sometimes do T-Rex arms, where cops may keep their arms bent while jogging or power walking because they're accustomed to reaching for crap on their belt.

[–] ThorrJo@lemmy.sdf.org 20 points 2 days ago (1 children)

FWIW as an autist I don't think there's a typical autism gait, I suspect the one thing many autists have in common is that we walk a lil funny, rather than any particular funny aspects.

BTW and just as an aside for general interest, it seems a lot of people diagnosed with ADHD have different/increased sway on a balance platform as compared to normies, so much so that it might actually be diagnostically useful. I find this stuff fascinating, and of course it isn't surprising that conditions which impact our entire conscious way of being would also impact our way of moving.

[–] EmmaGoldman@hexbear.net 20 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

That's not quite right from a medical standpoint. While presentation can vary a bit, there are really consistent musculoskeletal features common to Autism and ADHD which are caused by reduced muscle tone. These are so common that some of them are actually diagnostically helpful.

Virtually all autistic people will have some degree of hyperlordisis of the lumbar spine related to an anterior pelvic tilt. You can also often see rib flaring as a result of this too. Both of these are also pretty common in ADHD and account for the balance board differences from NT people. The severity of ADHD/Autism symptoms are also proportional to the severity of hyperlordisis. That is to say the more severe one's ADHD or Autism is, the weaker the muscle tone will be and the more the pelvis will be tilted.

Also common but not diagnostically helpful for Autism are scapular protraction, a forward head posture, and a shortening of calf ligaments caused by tiptoe walking.

Because all bodies are different and the degree of pelvic tilt and severity of muscle tone weakness varies there are naturally going to be variations that most people wouldn't pick up on, but a physical therapist would be able to identify the commonalities.

TL;DR autistic people have a fat ass screm-cool

[–] MrShankles@reddthat.com 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Fuck, is that why my ass is so fat? I was called bubble butt when I was a kid :(

[–] EmmaGoldman@hexbear.net 8 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

If it was present before puberty, it is almost certainly hyperlordisis.

It can result in herniated spinal disks, but depending on the degree it can be quite correctable with physical therapy and regular exercise.

[–] Poutine@hexbear.net 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I had to be sent to a physiotherapist to correct the issues caused by toe-walking as a child. My calf muscles had shortened and stiffened to the point where I was not able to participate in physical education without severe pain.

As an adult, I suffered from severe back pain until a physiotherapist explained the anterior pelvic tilt and helped me correct the years worth of compounded issues that stemmed from it.

It's a very real thing.

[–] AstroStelar@hexbear.net 8 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I also have such a tilt but haven't experienced any issues derived from it yet. Do you have advice on how I can correct it?

[–] Poutine@hexbear.net 7 points 1 day ago

My physiotherapist helped me correct my posture by actively engaging my abdominal muscles to change the angle of my pelvis.

I too had no issues for a long time, but as you get older, your body's ability to repair itself slows down and the pain can creep up on you.

[–] EmmaGoldman@hexbear.net 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Squats, bridges, hip flexor stretches, and lots of walking can be effective.

Autistic people don't have a harder time building or maintaining muscle, they typically do less physical activity than their neurotypical peers. It seems to be somewhere between an executive function thing and a vicious cycle where poor coordination and low muscle mass lead to poor performance and frustration that leads to not exercising which worsens coordination and muscle mass.

[–] zedcell@lemmygrad.ml 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Does this then not perpetuate a kind of stereotype? Myself and my brothers have ADHD and are also most likely autistic too but have been involved in team and solo sports all our lives and are relatively fit and have always had pretty good muscle mass. I have basically none of the issues you mentioned above and neither do my siblings. I think we do miss here that the "spike-iness" of one's autism profile doesn't necessarily preclude them from liking or engaging with exercise in whatever manner they enjoy.

[–] EmmaGoldman@hexbear.net 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm just talking broad statistics. Of course every person is different and there are autistic people who do enjoy lots of physical activity.

[–] zedcell@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Or is the assumption that autistic people are likely to have poor muscle mass introducing a kind of selection bias that is in itself causing this statistical effect?

[–] EmmaGoldman@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago

It is definitively not caused by selection bias. Given the fact that you're describing it as "most likely autistic" and the fact that you're here and present on social media and advocating for yourself, you would probably fall into LSN or Level 1 autism if that is the case. The degree and severity of muscle mass issues are least observed in Level 1 and most observed in Level 3.

Muscle mass is not directly used as a diagnostic criteria of autism or ADHD, so they aren't just selecting based on muscle mass. People of all neurotypes have all sorts of bodies, so while it can be diagnostically helpful as a clue it's not what doctors are looking for.

This effect is observed in all parts of the population, including those who are too young or noncommunicative to be aware of the effect, so it's also not some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. We don't know 100% why it happens but it's probably sensory related at in early childhood and then becomes habituated as well.

[–] la_tasalana_intissari_mata@hexbear.net 12 points 2 days ago (2 children)

my way of walking and knocking on doors gets people to think I'm a soldier a lot, especially since I wear combat boots 24/7

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[–] Gorillatactics@hexbear.net 28 points 2 days ago (3 children)

What other things have people thought of you guys because there's something "off" about you that people cant place?

Ive had people surprised I speak the local language because they assumed the "off thing" was that I was a foreigner, I've also been misgendered despite having a beard.

[–] Ildsaye@hexbear.net 31 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Lots of people seem to assume I'm under the influence. I think the body language of chronic pain, whether physical, mental, or both, are often assumed to be drugs, when actually the appearance of being 'out of it' can be because much of our mental bandwidth is taken up trying to compensate for pain

[–] EmmaGoldman@hexbear.net 22 points 2 days ago

This is so real. I'm exhausted all the time and have no stamina because of ME and it's wild how often people assume that me needing to sit down every 5 minutes means I'm on opiates and nodding off.

It's not even visually remotely close.

people assume I am unable to hear or speak a lot. like a lot of times store clerks try to speak to me with sign language or by writing text on their phones

[–] Riffraffintheroom@hexbear.net 16 points 2 days ago

That I’m evil, duplicitous or hiding something. People like to believe that they’re very intuitive.

[–] jorge@lemmygrad.ml 13 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (6 children)

I am autistic and was once dogpiled on HexBear, but in my particular case I don't complain, because what I wrote was indeed bad and I later apologized.

I not only adjusted my ideas, but I learned that one must avoid even the appearance of being a chud. Hypothetical example: suppose someone experiences a particular case of black-on-white injustice (it might happen, even if very rare). If then they get emotional and write a screed about "reverse racism", they might technically not be completely wrong, but every leftist will take them for a white supremacist, even if they were just naive and tone deaf.

[–] DonLongSchlong@lemmygrad.ml 4 points 1 day ago

I not only adjusted my ideas, but I learned that one must avoid even the appearance of being a chud

I have held the believe that one does actually have the duty to meaningfully distinguish oneself from the chuds.

[–] lil_tank@hexbear.net 4 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I saw that happen a few times. I'm fortunate enough to be high masking but sometimes I can see myself in someone being a called liberal or reactionary because they can't help but being technical on some random definition

One of the masking skills I acquired in activists circles was to always check if a level of factuality is needed for struggle purposes

[–] jorge@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I didn't understand the last sentence:

One of the masking skills I acquired in activists circles was to always check if a level of factuality is needed for struggle purposes

Could you elaborate?

[–] EmmaGoldman@hexbear.net 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

The masking/social skill is that you double check if your desire for technical correctness is actually needed.

Is it helpful? Is it necessary? Does it advance the cause? Or are you getting hung up on minutiae?

Typically the issue is that the clarification is being discussed at an inconvenient time for the group, and you are interrupting the discussion. If you determine that it is helpful and necessary and does advance the cause, the right move is to come back to it later on in a smaller group or individually to gain clarity. If not, just drop it.

[–] lil_tank@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago

When I want to correct someone because they omitted a certain nuance, I ask myself if this error may lead to taking wrong decisions in the future, or if it is a small inaccuracy that isn't worth the debate. It's especially important if the nuance in question will make you look more moderate. Correcting people for not being radical enough is more acceptable in good orgs

Same. It’s hard to learn that some parts of a movement are more about tribal cohesion and less about factual accuracy. That doesn’t mean the overall vision isn’t important, it just means that you don’t start “fixing uniforms in the middle of a firefight” so to speak.

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[–] infuziSporg@hexbear.net 6 points 2 days ago

I've been told I "smell like cops" in the eyes of people on the street. As long as I'm not actually a cop, I don't care too much, it just means I won't gain everyone's trust as fast.

[–] Riffraffintheroom@hexbear.net 16 points 2 days ago

I’m not a fed I’m just extremely square

[–] Saymaz@lemmygrad.ml 17 points 2 days ago (2 children)
[–] Athena5898@hexbear.net 25 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Autistic people can be genuine and be asking questions in good faith, but it can come across as a fed or a liberal.

We can get caught up in the technical def of a word to the point of talking in circles, even if the basic premise is agreed upon. It can cause a lot of miscommunication. It can make it look like we are intentionally starting shit.

people won't use tone tags online, and it can be very hard to tell if someone is being serious or not which can cause more miscommunications.

Difficulty dealing with morally grey areas.

Probably could go on. Now of course, this doesn't mean every autistic person is some poor, misunderstood soul. Autistic people can be some of the most reactionary assholes around just as much as anyone else. The problem is figuring out who is who.

[–] Chana@hexbear.net 15 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I am sure there are unfair and ableist situations in meetings. At the same time, organizing meetings must be run somewhat efficiently and safely for everyone involved and it is not inherently ableist to keep things going or cut someone off if they are monopolizing time or trying to start a new topic. The latter is very common and not unique to people with autism by a long shot and one of he more important things to learn about running meetings. Another skill is resisting the urge to hash something out in the whole group and instead putting energy into organizing outside of main meetings. For example, being in leadership of an education committee is far more powerful - and provides opportunitied to really hash things out - than personally raising issues in main meetings on the context. If this organizing-within-an-organization approach is working, and it tends to more often than introducing questions in a big meeting, then the other folks in the committee or who listen to the Ed sessions will actually do the advocacy for you and make it something that needs little discussion since folks are already aligned. I am mentioning all of this not to be lecturing or saying you are doing anything wrong, but instead because I think it is generally useful advice and because I certainly have to personally resist the urge to correct or clarify during meetings lol.

But just to be clear I am talking about organizing spaces with an agenda, not just casual conversation. When you mentioned, "get caught up in the technical def of a word to the point of talking in circles, even if the basic premise is agreed upon" it made me think of meetings getting derailed but you may be thinking of something totally different.

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[–] Horse@lemmygrad.ml 28 points 2 days ago

some of us tend to talk kinda weird, gives off undercover cop vibes occasionally


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