But You Don't...

I'm very atypical in many ways. I'm even an oddball among fellow autistics! People may not believe me because I don't exhibit certain characteristics or do whatever they expect autistic people to do.
"You can't be autistic. You..."

• Get good grades
• Don't stim (ENTIRELY UNTRUE!!!)
• Use/understand metaphors and other figures of speech
• Have and express emotions (Really?)
• Play a musical instrument
• Are intelligent, but don't display any savant skills (That's a small minority, people!)
• Hate math (There are many autistic people who hate math.)
• Write creatively 
• Run a blog
• Take honors English (My courseload does not define my diagnosis! *facepalm*)
• Have a sense of humor
• Can cook 
• Empathize with others (Anyone else who says this will be summarily keelhauled.)
• You're not like Rain Man. 

"Because..."

• It is not something that autistic people usually do.
• Some autistic person I know cannot do that. (But they might be able to do things I can't)
• My mind is so full of stereotypes it has no room for primary sources. (Not many people would say this to my face, but this is somewhat true.)