Dear Prudence,
I work at a diverse and progressive non-profit, which overall is great. We often have meetings and discussions around various ways in which we can be more inclusive, open, and helpful to as many people as possible. As a straight, mostly-white, cis male, I’m generally much more a listener, adding things here and there as I see appropriate. Mainly, this is around Latino issues, as my dad is Latino. I do not stereotypically “look” it, nor do I have a stereotypically Latino last name, though, so I’m aware that I do not experience the racism that many Latinos do, and don’t claim to.
This was all going well until the topic shifted to “neurodiversity.” This has taken up a lot of discussion recently, with some of the team very passionately trying to enact changes based on their understanding of autism. The issue is that these changes are, in my opinion, misguided, misinformed, and somewhat patronizing, even though I know they’re well-meaning. I have voiced these concerns, and been either ignored, or (in one instance) accused of pushing too hard against the ideas of POCs/women from my position of privilege.
Prudie, I’m autistic! Diagnosed professionally, “high-functioning” or however people want to deem it, but still very much autistic (and ADHD). I’m not “out” to many people in my life, and to be honest the recent discussions haven’t made me all that willing to “come out” at work. But I’m worried that unless I do so, I’m not going to be taken seriously in these discussions. To my knowledge, no one else involved (including the most vocal people) is autistic, although obviously there could well be another person like me in there. Is there a way to navigate this without being forced to broadcast my diagnosis to anyone who questions me?
— Autistic but Not Out—Istic