Discouraging check-out line conversation

[lovely_darlingprettybaby]

I was at the cash register in the local 7-11 store today wearing one of my autism shirts, and the clerk (a 20-something male) said "I really like your shirt. Where did you get it?"
I told him Amazon. He was surprised by that then asked "Do you think I should get one?"
I said it was up to him, and asked if he was autistic. He replied "sometimes".
I told him it wasn't a sometimes thing. He asked what I meant. He seemed truly puzzled. I said you're born with autism, and then have to live with it.
He still seemed confused, but there were several people in line behind me, so I took my receipt and left.
With all the autism awareness campaigns I have seen on TV and billboards, etc., I really thought most adults would have a basic understanding that autism is a neurological condition, but this young man who has to deal with the public all day for work had the notion that he could sometimes be autistic.

Maybe he had not accepted it.
Or had autistic struggles.
People see it differently
For example even if you are autistic in case you are since I have never been diagnosed
But seen to relate to some things.
Some people may be autistic
Like the way I see it
I am not ashamed to be autistic at all
However...I do not define myself as autistic or adhd diagnosis alone.
I see myself as Laura
Not defined by any disability
Even though I probably have disabilities and I think I definitely do
And am not ashamed of them.
It is just not my whole identity
But if you were ashamed of them that is ok too.
Because maybe you are finding it hard and embarrassing and finding it hard to adjust especially when just freshly diagnosed
It is not easy.
So just because you are autistic you do not have to be like hi, I'm Laura, the autistic.
You could be like I am Laura and I have autism
I mean you may not say that to someone when you first meet them anyway probably

 

[Jumpinbare]

So just because you are autistic you do not have to be like hi, I'm Laura, the autistic.
You could be like I am Laura and I have autism
I mean you may not say that to someone when you first meet them anyway probably

I have 5 autism related Tee shirts. Two of them come right out and say "I am autistic" as part of their messages. So when I wear those shirts in public, I am essentially saying "Hi, I'm autistic". None of them have my name on them, but if someone asked I would probably tell them my first name.

 

[Neri]

I have 5 autism related Tee shirts. Two of them come right out and say "I am autistic" as part of their messages. So when I wear those shirts in public, I am essentially saying "Hi, I'm autistic". None of them have my name on them, but if someone asked I would probably tell them my first name.

I would wear certain neurodiversity T-shirts, for sure.

 

[Aspychata]

@Neri thank you for your valuable post. I am so grateful you have decided to join this forum. You are heard. And l wish you happy holidays.

 

[Neri]

@Neri thank you for your valuable post. I am so grateful you have decided to join this forum. You are heard. And l wish you happy holidays.

Thank you so much @Aspychata! I hope you have a lovely holy-day season as well!

 

[Kalinychta]

I was at the cash register in the local 7-11 store today wearing one of my autism shirts, and the clerk (a 20-something male) said "I really like your shirt. Where did you get it?"
I told him Amazon. He was surprised by that then asked "Do you think I should get one?"
I said it was up to him, and asked if he was autistic. He replied "sometimes".
I told him it wasn't a sometimes thing. He asked what I meant. He seemed truly puzzled. I said you're born with autism, and then have to live with it.
He still seemed confused, but there were several people in line behind me, so I took my receipt and left.
With all the autism awareness campaigns I have seen on TV and billboards, etc., I really thought most adults would have a basic understanding that autism is a neurological condition, but this young man who has to deal with the public all day for work had the notion that he could sometimes be autistic.

I wonder why he asked if you thought he should get an autism shirt? That’s an odd question. And why was he surprised that you got it on Amazon?—you can get just about anything on Amazon.
Kind of a strange interaction.

 

[Jumpinbare]

I wonder why he asked if you thought he should get an autism shirt? That’s an odd question. And why was he surprised that you got it on Amazon?—you can get just about anything on Amazon.
Kind of a strange interaction.

I thought it was odd too. I would have liked to talk further (without infodumping), but there were several people waiting behind me an he was the only clerk on duty.
I have had other people comment positively on my shirts, and even ask where I got them, but no one else has asked my opinion on them getting a shirt.

 

[Kalinychta]

I thought it was odd too. I would have liked to talk further (without infodumping), but there were several people waiting behind me an he was the only clerk on duty.
I have had other people comment positively on my shirts, and even ask where I got them, but no one else has asked my opinion on them getting a shirt.

Maybe he thought you and your shirt both said “artistic,” not “autistic.” That would explain everything.

 

[Au Naturel]

Apparently the autism spectrum isn't a scale with severity levels, it's now supposed to be a rainbow colour spectrum

A spectrum is a nearly infinite number of colors that blend into each other seamlessly. Yet you need to divide a spectrum up into useful chunks to talk about it. All colors are not equal in their effects.

Autism is divided up into ASD 1, 2 & 3 not because there's some hard line between the levels but rather because it tells very roughly how much support a person is expected to need.

 

[Shamar]

Ugh...so over this mindset. Or there is the classic "well everyone is a little bit autistic aren't they?"...umm no. But they don't get it. Like it's something that comes and goes like a headache....

When I hear this I say "Come back after it destroys your life and we can discuss it." If I'm irritated, I say "When it keeps you from getting a job, when it keeps you from interacting with other people, and when causes you to be shunted aside, ignored, and left behind, then come back and we can discuss how we are all a little bit autistic."