@autistics
This is soooo relatable!
Epistemic Injustice: The Great #Gaslighting of #Autistic Lives
When others overrule autistic self‑knowledge, the result is not better care.
Updated March 9, 2026
Excerpt: "Autistic people and epistemic injustice
Epistemic injustice sounds abstract, but for many in the autistic community, this is the story of being told, over and over, “We know you better than you know yourself.”
Take one autistic life, roughly sketched.
Childhood: You say, “It’s too loud, it hurts.” Adults say, “You’re being difficult.” You show them the problem; they decide you are the problem.
School: You say, “I can’t focus in groups; I do better working alone.” School writes, “refuses to cooperate, poor social skills.” You offer information; it’s turned into evidence against you.
Work: You say, “If we have meetings with clear agendas sent in advance, I can do my best work.” The organization hears, “high‑maintenance, not a team player.” You suggest how to fix the issue; they label your nervous system the issue.
Healthcare: You say, “This pain is new; something is wrong.” You get, “No, that would be unusual.” Your body raises an alarm; your experience doesn’t make it into the chart.
By midlife, you’ve been interrupted, corrected, patronized, or flat‑out disbelieved thousands of times. It eats away at your sense that your own mind and body can be trusted. It happens to those diagnosed early and to those diagnosed late, even if the mechanisms are somewhat different."
Read more:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/positively-different/202603/epistemic-injustice-the-great-gaslighting-of-autistic-lives
#Autism #ActuallyAutistic
