End the Awkward

Interesting website. I didn't immediately register to me it was about non-disabled people's reactions to us - maybe needs clarification.

Do you want comments here, or for us to comment directly on their website?

It is a good idea, but while they are clearly trying to understand, I noticed very quickly that autism is not part of their vocabulary. Maybe they'd love to include some ASD perspectives, but they could make a start by demonstrating they know something about us already.

The obvious area I'd highlight is the need to have things repeated. Most people assume you need to ask because you are hard of hearing. I miss a lot of meanings in conversations and if there is background, people seem to be talking a foreign language.

However if I say I'm having difficulty following them or have to ask something to be repeated, immediately they start talking loudly and slowly right in my ear, which funnily enough makes no difference, other than it is uncomfortable.

Not showing enough eye contact or attention really seems to bug people. My eye contact is rubbish much of the time, and I find other people's reactions to this excessive and unneccessary, but maybe its that important to NTs.

Also stimming and nervous habits. Several other aspies I know do things like nose pick while talking, which I find hard to deal with, so I guess it must be all the harder for NTs. But a lot of stimming activities must be awkward for NTs and I don't know how it could be explained conveniently.

Another thing is, though they cover it to some extent, not to fuss too much. If you take too much interest in helping it can be seen as intrusive or paramount to stalking. It is about being construuctively helpful.

This might be a time to raise another issue....clicking on a link. I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but if I click on a link while signed on, when I disconnect the link I lose NAS as well, without signing off. There doesn't seem to be a way out of links. But maybe it is me acting dumb.

Interesting website. I didn't immediately register to me it was about non-disabled people's reactions to us - maybe needs clarification.

Do you want comments here, or for us to comment directly on their website?

It is a good idea, but while they are clearly trying to understand, I noticed very quickly that autism is not part of their vocabulary. Maybe they'd love to include some ASD perspectives, but they could make a start by demonstrating they know something about us already.

The obvious area I'd highlight is the need to have things repeated. Most people assume you need to ask because you are hard of hearing. I miss a lot of meanings in conversations and if there is background, people seem to be talking a foreign language.

However if I say I'm having difficulty following them or have to ask something to be repeated, immediately they start talking loudly and slowly right in my ear, which funnily enough makes no difference, other than it is uncomfortable.

Not showing enough eye contact or attention really seems to bug people. My eye contact is rubbish much of the time, and I find other people's reactions to this excessive and unneccessary, but maybe its that important to NTs.

Also stimming and nervous habits. Several other aspies I know do things like nose pick while talking, which I find hard to deal with, so I guess it must be all the harder for NTs. But a lot of stimming activities must be awkward for NTs and I don't know how it could be explained conveniently.

Another thing is, though they cover it to some extent, not to fuss too much. If you take too much interest in helping it can be seen as intrusive or paramount to stalking. It is about being construuctively helpful.

This might be a time to raise another issue....clicking on a link. I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but if I click on a link while signed on, when I disconnect the link I lose NAS as well, without signing off. There doesn't seem to be a way out of links. But maybe it is me acting dumb.