I'm Not a Burden & Neither Are You

A lot of people in the Autistic community and those who support the Autistic community often forget how the same issues that affect autistic people also affect other neurodiverse people. Many times neurodiverse people can feel like they're a burden because they're made to feel that way by their society, culture, peers, etc. What can make it worse is that sometimes being neurodiverse may mean that we contribute to society in different ways. 

Unfortunately, many in society do not see our contributions as being contributions. You don't need a job to contribute to the world. You can contribute just by being there, by giving a smile, by teaching society how to think and understand differences, by helping give society a purpose. 

People need to remember to not let society say that these aren't contributions. People need to remember that even if they contribute in different ways than what society normally talks about, that is still a contribution and they should not feel like a burden. And those who are neurotypical should recognize these contributions and try to help society as a whole see them, too. And make sure to confront the idea that contributing differently makes you a burden.

-Caley

[Post dictated by Caley, transcribed by Creigh]