It can be hard to believe that I am going to be forty next summer and that for all my life I have known that I was autistic. Back when I was diagnosed over two and a half decades ago, being autistic was not taken in the light that it was today. Many people that were diagnosed with Asperger’s as it was known then were misunderstood and were discounted for their struggles to survive in the world.

It had to take big steps often to get the things to which I was entitled. It often seemed as if you made an advancement forward, you then took two steps back from where you were. As time went on and more people were being diagnosed, more awareness sprung up and people became more aware of the need for accommodations as far as the challenges of being autistic related.

We as the autistic community have made many strides, but still have leaps and bounds to go as far as being accepted in many parts of the world. Getting to where we are in today’s world hasn’t been easy, but we do it, and as hard as it can be to do that, we do it because we are often resilient and don’t give up at doing the things that we want to do because we want to be accepted and included just like anyone else.

Things have changed significantly since getting that diagnosis over two and a half decades ago. We now have sensory hours in some stores and major event venues are becoming more sensory friendly. We have more services, including the court system that is more accommodated to those with challenging situations, but we still have a way to go. People at least understand what being autistic is, but there is still that small margin that does not understand why we do certain things and why it is a part of being autistic.

There is the part that also puts being autistic in a sour light and makes it more difficult for those that are autistic to get similar things because of the negativity of past instances that did not prove well for others. Each situation that an autistic person experiences or condones themselves is different. No two people with autism act in the same way and assuming about the community in general just because of one experience is not appropriate and can cause missed opportunities or challenged views.

In my life, I am working better at weaving my autistic challenges into the fabric of my life by understanding that I do things differently than the general neurotypical population and that I may need to explain things more and be comfortable at asking for help with things when they become too much. It is also asking and having the accommodations that I need to thrive in a world where things are not always met with my caliber and can be a struggle without the proper things that I need to thrive. While I do admit that there is a part of me that also requires me to do my part to care for myself in the way that I need to. It is having the world accept me just as I am and weaving into the world just as I am.