So I write my blogs and produce my videos for my website for two reasons. Firstly, I enjoy creating content. Especially videos where I get to plan, film and edit many autistic topics. I love the whole process, which is the second reason I do what I do – I enjoy it. It also helps me to understand what it means to be an autistic person and helps me to know myself. My content is about my own personal journey in the world, but also I do offer advice and tips on how to negotiate the many aspects of autism, based purely upon my own experiences.
So the question I ask myself. Does this make me an autistic advocate? What does the word “advocate” even mean?
My personal feelings are that I am not a strict advocate as my understanding is that an advocate speaks on behalf of others. That is something I never wanted to do. The autistic community is so large and varied, that it’s difficult to do this without causing some upset to somebody.
For example, I can struggle with eye contact, but for me to say that all autistic people struggle with eye contact is wrong. Simply because it is not true and some autistic people may have no problem with it at all. If I insisted that it was true for all autistic folk, just because I have issues with it, then I am speaking for everyone. Which is not good and something I try never to do.
However, there are many common aspects of being autistic. If I decide to share a particular one, that will mean that some autistic people will find something relatable to themselves. This might then be interoperated as “speaking on behalf of others” but that is never my intention. If it is read like that, then I’m sorry, that was never my goal.
Do not get me wrong, I am not arrogant enough to say that I don’t want my content to be viewed by both autistic and neurotypical people, and of course I want it to be helpful to some. Even if just as an enjoyable thing to read or watch. Off course I do. If I write or film content offering advice and tips, and a person uses them then that is great. It does make me happy and fulfilled when I get feedback saying such.
The point is though I am not telling people that is what they should or should not do, or suggesting to others that this is the case for all autistic people. Again I am just telling my story. If people relate to it then that’s great, if they don’t then that is great too. If it helps neurotypicals to gain some knowledge about autistic people, or inspires them to find out more, then that is fine. If autistic people agree or disagree with my views then that is valid also.
The dictionary defines advocate as: “1. a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy. 2. a person who puts a case on someone else’s behalf”.
By the first definition I am publicly sharing aspects of my autistic journey and my life so others can perhaps enjoy and gain some knowledge about how the condition effects me. By including tips and advice in my blogs/videos, I am recommending courses of action for people to follow if they want to. Remember, recommendations do not have to be followed, so advice is just simply that – advice. This makes me think that perhaps I am an advocate but…..
The second definition “a person who puts a case on someone else’s behalf” is definitely not what I am trying to do. I only want to share my story. The very reason my website is called “An Autistic’c View” is because that is exactly what it is. One autistic person’s view. If I have ever have spoken on behalf of anyone else, then I am sorry. It was never my intention.
Therefore rather then call myself an autistic advocate, maybe it’s better to label myself as an autistic sharer. I actually quite like that.