'we are all on the spectrum'

People use the, "We are all on the spectrum" (or WAAOTS) statement ~ with the spectrum in question going from no traits to fifty traits in the case of the Autistic [Spectrum] Quotient 50 (AQ) test-result score-ratios as follows:

0~11 low result – indicating no tendency at all towards [being] autistic.

11~21 is the average result that people get (many women average around 15 and men around 17)

22~25 shows autistic tendencies slightly above the population average

26~31 gives a borderline indication of an autism spectrum disorder. It is also possible to have aspergers or mild autism within this range.

32~50 indicates a strong likelihood of Asperger syndrome or autism.

https://aspergerstest.net/interpreting-aq-test-results/

So as such everyone is on the autism spectrum; but not the autism diagnostic spectrum ~ as only some people have an Autism Spectrum Disorder, or increasingly more an Autism Spectrum Condition these days ~ as may include or exclude having either or both physiological and psychological co-morbidities.

As someone who is autistic in terms of having Asperger Syndrome and as having done a fair amount of advocacy work over the years ~ I have personally found the 'WAAOTS' statement to be very useful indeed, as proportionally contrasting examples of which have really helped to make autistic sensibilities and care requirements more relevant to other people who are not autistic.

When for instance it comes to autistic inhibitions ~ asking neurologically typical or atypical people if they have ever been panicked enough to become indecisive or pressurised enough to have made decisive errors; which includes everyone to some extent ~ this can help them with further explanations to appreciate that we (as autistic people) have greater difficulties with 'give-and-take' reciprocations in typical social interaction, imagination and communication situations ~ with some or a great many of our inhibitions being a result of developmentally and educationally inappropriate facilitations, identifications and affirmations from others historically.  

Fearing negative repercussions socially or finding social interactions challenging is for instance only as such a partial consideration or temporary concern for most non-autistic people ~ with social breakthroughs and group integrations being more often than not greatly anticipated and very much enjoyed; yet for those of us who are autistic or otherwise neurologically divergent ~ social events can be totally nerve-racking or in part or whole confusing, frustrating or even exhaustively debilitating ~ particularly if reasonable adjustments have rarely or never been made, offered or provided to help us gauge, manage or circumvent requisite pressures or excessive strains in previous or present living and working situations.

When it comes though to non-autistic people using the 'WAAOTS' statement to rhetorically sideline the difficulties we on the autism diagnostic spectrum face ~ I just add with an enthusiastic reverse-psychology twist something like, "Normally to a small degree ~ yes; that is the case!" and then confide that some autistic people find 'WAAOTS' statements as being somewhat demeaning or even quite offensive ~ even when they are in no way whatsoever meant to be; what with all of us (autistic or otherwise) being human evolutions of consciously vitalised experience and awareness ~ which in each and every case involves physiological and psychological multilinear extents and curvilinear degrees of nature's developmental infinitudes, as can in scale be much more appreciated and as such much better in quality facilitated.

People use the, "We are all on the spectrum" (or WAAOTS) statement ~ with the spectrum in question going from no traits to fifty traits in the case of the Autistic [Spectrum] Quotient 50 (AQ) test-result score-ratios as follows:

0~11 low result – indicating no tendency at all towards [being] autistic.

11~21 is the average result that people get (many women average around 15 and men around 17)

22~25 shows autistic tendencies slightly above the population average

26~31 gives a borderline indication of an autism spectrum disorder. It is also possible to have aspergers or mild autism within this range.

32~50 indicates a strong likelihood of Asperger syndrome or autism.

https://aspergerstest.net/interpreting-aq-test-results/

So as such everyone is on the autism spectrum; but not the autism diagnostic spectrum ~ as only some people have an Autism Spectrum Disorder, or increasingly more an Autism Spectrum Condition these days ~ as may include or exclude having either or both physiological and psychological co-morbidities.

As someone who is autistic in terms of having Asperger Syndrome and as having done a fair amount of advocacy work over the years ~ I have personally found the 'WAAOTS' statement to be very useful indeed, as proportionally contrasting examples of which have really helped to make autistic sensibilities and care requirements more relevant to other people who are not autistic.

When for instance it comes to autistic inhibitions ~ asking neurologically typical or atypical people if they have ever been panicked enough to become indecisive or pressurised enough to have made decisive errors; which includes everyone to some extent ~ this can help them with further explanations to appreciate that we (as autistic people) have greater difficulties with 'give-and-take' reciprocations in typical social interaction, imagination and communication situations ~ with some or a great many of our inhibitions being a result of developmentally and educationally inappropriate facilitations, identifications and affirmations from others historically.  

Fearing negative repercussions socially or finding social interactions challenging is for instance only as such a partial consideration or temporary concern for most non-autistic people ~ with social breakthroughs and group integrations being more often than not greatly anticipated and very much enjoyed; yet for those of us who are autistic or otherwise neurologically divergent ~ social events can be totally nerve-racking or in part or whole confusing, frustrating or even exhaustively debilitating ~ particularly if reasonable adjustments have rarely or never been made, offered or provided to help us gauge, manage or circumvent requisite pressures or excessive strains in previous or present living and working situations.

When it comes though to non-autistic people using the 'WAAOTS' statement to rhetorically sideline the difficulties we on the autism diagnostic spectrum face ~ I just add with an enthusiastic reverse-psychology twist something like, "Normally to a small degree ~ yes; that is the case!" and then confide that some autistic people find 'WAAOTS' statements as being somewhat demeaning or even quite offensive ~ even when they are in no way whatsoever meant to be; what with all of us (autistic or otherwise) being human evolutions of consciously vitalised experience and awareness ~ which in each and every case involves physiological and psychological multilinear extents and curvilinear degrees of nature's developmental infinitudes, as can in scale be much more appreciated and as such much better in quality facilitated.