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Help designing a card explaining when I cannot speak

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Put this GIF on your smartphone,
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(The "Loading" spinner IS the image...)
 
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tree said:
Definitely leave out the "Be calm" part, I think.
The large print "Be calm" on that card seems to imply
that whoever is displaying the card is behaving in some
way that should arouse agitation in other people.
Click to expand...
Leave out "This is a robbery," too. ;)
 
Think l would go the opposite route of:


I have a speech impediment.
I will answer you on phone.
 
Because it's straight foward, doesn't stress anyone out, and doesn't turn you into target from someone else.
 
Sorry you feel tricked. On the spectrum, we need to be careful how we joke with each other,Because we have a different tolerance level for pranks then NT.
 
I think this card is excellent Grommet:

62542_8510bc7216ad1ccedc27f4eeba8384fe.png


The only thing I would add is: Please do not take my phone, to the last line.
 
grommet said:
I could not get this to load. But maybe you made a joke and it is meant to say that it is loading. I think you meant to be funny and friendly but I was tricked and it feels bad.
Click to expand...
I sat there for about 10 minutes waiting for it to load...

Maybe write on the card that "I am mute" that would simplify things a lot. Then bring along picture cards or a notebook and write down what you want to say, or where you want to go on the notebook? People get a lot less panicked if you say "mute" rather than autistic and etc. I wish things were different, but they are not unfortunately. People automatically assume that if you are on the spectrum, you are going to be trouble, or someone to look out for.

Good luck!
 
Yes I suppose that unfortunately saying I am autistic doesn't mean much to many people, they will get a picture of Rainman in their heads, maybe? I would rather say Anxious than autistic, anxiety affects many people and is more easily understood, plus it's the anxiety that is making it hard to speak. The cards look very clear, this is a helpful idea.
 
When I have trouble talking or don’t want to, I just touch my throat, and sometimes I have a paper and pen to communicate further.
 
One important point is to have this on a lanyard, preferably brightly colored. If you go mute during a police stop, you risk being beaten or killed if you reach into your pocket for the card. If you wear a lanyard around your neck, with the card inside your shirt, it's less threatening to slowly pull the card out by the lanyard. Use sign language first to indicate you can't speak, then the cop can read the card.
 
grommet said:
I am concerned about using the word "stressed". I wonder if people might think it means I am unsafe, about to react in some way. I do not. I just start losing the ability to speak clearly or sometimes speak at all when I am stressed. This means you are perfectly correct, I just worry about people's reaction to that word.
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Good point. But then my comment wasn't meant to be taken that literally. I agree...you need to work out the details in terms of wording it all in a relatively "diplomatic" manner so as not to offend anyone right off.

And you don't want to word anything that makes you appear too vulnerable. Showing such a card to a potential predator could be precarious to say the least.

The world can be a very ugly place at times...:eek:
 
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Nah, try this.
I am being posessed by the spirit of silence, please wait...
Sends off a signal you're dangerous too
 
Aspychata said:
Sorry you feel tricked. On the spectrum, we need to be careful how we joke with each other,Because we have a different tolerance level for pranks then NT.
Click to expand...

I do not think you did anything wrong. I left my comment when I was upset because I got confused. I was in a fact-finding state of mind so was not thinking about kidding around. I apologize to you for saying what I did. It made you look bad but you were not wrong, I should not act out like that.
 
Major Tom said:
I sat there for about 10 minutes waiting for it to load...

Maybe write on the card that "I am mute" that would simplify things a lot. Then bring along picture cards or a notebook and write down what you want to say, or where you want to go on the notebook? People get a lot less panicked if you say "mute" rather than autistic and etc. I wish things were different, but they are not unfortunately. People automatically assume that if you are on the spectrum, you are going to be trouble, or someone to look out for.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thank you for your thoughts. I am not mute. It is an exception when I have trouble speaking. For now, I think saying "autistic" is what I am choosing but I may change my mind.
 
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