Published on 12, July, 2020
As an older person with Autism, I was brought up in very different times with different thinking, values, acceptance, behaviour, etc (1970's & 80's).
The World has changed so much since then - both for better and worse.There have been so many advancements - particularly in science and this has benefitted us ASD'ers immensely.
One thing that is troubling me is that I hold a lot of "principles" that in this day and age would be considered "Old Fashioned", "Traditional", maybe even "Bigotry" or worse.There are things that I struggle to understand or accept which are based on my traditional attitude. I was brought up in an era when....
I openly discuss or rant about these topics along with some others that may be considered taboo with closed friends and family who have all become somewhat numb to my outrageousness / inappropriateness.
I have however managed to "behave" in public (stayed on the right side of the law), but occasionally do mutter things with a level of cowardice.My concern is that now that I am officially autistic, the shackles of having to mask may have been broken and that has the potential of me saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
I understand perfectly.
It seems that we have to suffer; due to someone else's bad childhood.
Kids aren't innocent anymore. They're egged on to be antagonistic. It's as if the State wants to Parent them.
I don't mind Gays. At Uni, I befriended a Gay man. However, all this demand for Drag Queens to teach Primary School Kids is gross.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think that I am homophobic. Likewise, I have had the odd gay friend in the past (no pun intended by the use of the word "odd").
It's just that it wasn't a "thing" back then. I t has certainly become a thing now which I guess is the choice of the individual. BUT I cannot lie, I think that it has gone TOO FAR in ways such as the Drag Queens that you mention. I am not a fan of the overly extrovert members of the gay community. I am not a fan of Gay Pride marches - I mean, its not like we have a white heterosexual march - if we did, then there would be uproar.
Here are somethings to think about as you are troubled by your own principles.
Have you thought about how the adoption of these principles might be itself a layer of masking so old it feels familiar natural?
The public mask another whole persona?
Do you now want to find release to see, to know yourself more fully?
Some of the things you have said in this thread indicate you are going back and forth on the subject.
1 - If you want to peel away the masking layer by layer:
Do you feel your own values, second hand and inherited as they are
by your own account, define who you are?
If not, try to tease apart where you begin and these principles end.
Who are you without them, just you?
Can you see your self apart from your principles?
You may experience a great liberation and see the world differently.
2 - If you are going to double down on your "principles":
Would you seek to determine for others what is of value and importance for them?
"TOO FAR", for whom?
Are they to stay where you can't see them?
Where would that be if it is you who has rested your gaze upon them, not they upon you?
If your principles are what and who you identify as your "self" and not a mask, consequently,
do you feel existentially threatened or fearful of these "others" for simply existing?