Dearests,
It’s a momentous day for me.
A couple of hours ago, I heard the words I’ve been waiting for all my life.
“Congratulations, you have ASD.”
I’ve known intuitively for six years now that Asperger’s is who I am, a part of my makeup, the constellation of my stars. And after giving myself the gift of a formal diagnostic process this year, I know it firmly and officially now too.
ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) has given me deep and wide blessings in my life:
+ my sensitivity to seeing life in full colour
+ my ability to hyperfocus like a motherfucker
+ my obsession with learning
+ my quirkiness & my bluntness
+ my way of seeing things.
It’s also brought with it challenges too:
+ how much I am emotionally & physically exhausted by life & social situations
+ how hard I struggled socially as a kid, feeling like I’d missed out on an important chip in the operating system
+ how hard it is to understand other people sometimes.
One big thing I want to share is this: girls & women usually are not diagnosed with ASD because most psychologists & society at large is only aware of the ASD traits in boys & men. Girls & women have a completely different checklist. We aren’t the typical “Sheldons” – we are much better at learning how to mask socially, but it comes at a cost.
If you asked me if I would wish it away, I would never. ASD is part of what makes my life richer, deeper & more divine. ASD is one of my superpowers.
I’m so fucking PROUD to be neurodiverse. This world needs ALL OF US, with our rainbow of brains, abilities, genders & sexualities to be whole & magnificent.
I love you,
Leonie
Also: ASD AF
P.S. If you want to learn more, you read the companion blog post to this episode HERE!
P.P.S. Here’s my original blog post from five years ago.
