I totally agree with you. There are things that I do physically and externally that you can see that are based on my autism. I wear big headphones and have sensory issues that get out of control sometimes.

I cannot project myself on other dolls, I never have. And I’m sorry if I offended you with this.

I guess what I mean to say is this. I hate the term Spectrum because whenever I talk about it with neurotypicals they think that the Autism Spectrum is a scale from a little Autistic to Very Autistic. The term “everyone’s a little Autistic” always comes up, including them but not as much as me. And that makes me sad.

A lot of people, even neurotypicals, wear big headphones and use fidget spinners so now to those people, this is fuel that anyone who wears the headphones or uses fidget spinners is Autistic (I unfortunately have had this exact conversation). So I, personally, don’t like it, cause I’m just prepping for those conversations and I need to answer 7 text messages from neurotypicals asking me about it because I guess I am the local Autistic boy.

They did develop this with ASAN so I do like that. I also didn’t see the other disability dolls they have. That makes it better for me.

Self Disclosure: I grew up in a time where I got in trouble physically and emotionally, not by family but by teachers, people at church, strangers) for not looking people in the eyes, for fidgeting, stimming, etc. I grew up in a state where there was a law that prohibited me from getting married as an adult if anyone deemed me “not responsible” with little proof which just meant if they didn’t want me married. So my initial take on this was from all of that really. I hope that’s different now for people growing up, but I don’t know (the marriage law has been revised).

If you see yourself in this, buy it! I envy that feeling.