After the incident  at work with my “I’m Autistic” badge the other day. I decided to share a scribble with you all, it’s taken from Scribblology

(Also known as my angry old man phase)

 

“Invisible Cripple”

 There’s this one little thing,

One stupid little phrase

I hear almost every time

I say to someone new

That I’m autistic:

 

“But you don’t look autistic”

 

Oh really?  So, how’s my autism

Supposed to look to you?

It’s as messed up and stupid

as saying, “You don’t really look gay”.

Just because your eyes don’t see it,

Doesn’t mean that it’s not there.

 

Your attitude is what’s ultimately

Wrong with this world and the

Way it views disabled people.

Just because I’m not in a wheelchair

You think that there’s nothing wrong.

That I just need to be more social

Perhaps I should just… “cheer up”?

 

Have you ever considered that my

Struggle is not a physical one,

But a battle within my psyche?

Trying desperately to be more

Like the rest of you and your world?

It’s taken years of trial and error

 

To become this good an actor.

I should be nominated for an Oscar

For this portrayal of one of you.

I’ve had to study you and through

Making mistakes and being misunderstood;

Countless hard lessons learned.

 

Become the person you criticise.

Who you look down on and who you

Call a fake or a liar, because clearly

I’m so very ‘normal’ and not

The stereotypical disabled person.

Would you feel better if you could see

The way my brain is different to yours?

 

Maybe that would make it easier for

People to start to believe us.

Or accept that, hard as it may be,

Not every disability is visible.

Not every disability has a ‘look’.

So, before you judge me,

Stop. Think. Take a second

 

Before you make yourself look like an

Ignorant, ableist, waste of space

Spewing that hateful phrase

That turns my stomach to acid.

Hurts me.  Feeds my anger.

“You don’t look Autistic”.

 (C) Bob W Christian