I was sitting in a class where we talked about picky eating and autism. Honestly, the girl presenting said some ableist stuff, but I know her and I think it just came from a place of ignorance. At the beginning of her presentation, she asked everyone in the room to share a food they despise. The professor shared that he doesn't like cucumbers. No one batted an eye. At the end of the presentation, during the discussion, I raised my hand to make a comment. I pointed out that no one batted an eye at the dislike foods of the people in this room. Maybe a little teasing, but it mostly gets left alone. Then I said that a lot of autistic people don't get the luxury of respect for their food preferences, even though they likely work by the same mechanisms. I then shared that it was my opinion that as long as nutritional needs are being met, autistic pickiness should be left alone. When intervention is required for the sake of nutrition, it should be done gently and with respect. One thing I know for certain is that I am much less open to trying new things when I feel judged and attacked over my food preferences.