Yes.

I’m not doing diagnosis. But, a psychologist that use “mildly autistic” should not be taken seriously on the topic. There is no level. The DSM 5 TR has level of support. It’s very different and these levels can vary from one moment to an other (even in the same day).

More about this in this journal article by Steven Kapp which is an autistic researcher.

Profound Concerns about “Profound Autism”: Dangers of Severity Scales and Functioning Labels for Support Needs

You show “little empathy” in comparaison with what? The neuronormativity? This is already an issue. We don’t have to compare to neurotypical. We have to validate how autistics shows empathy, emotions, etc. Often, it’s by resolving problems. E.g.: This is making you sad so we resolve the problem and you will be better. Advocating for someone is another. Sounds similar to what you wrote about your wife. It’s often called “cognitive empathy”. This is entirely valid!

First, I didn’t write all of them.

Now on the subject of autism and empathy, empathy is widely misinterpreted and misunderstood in autistics. The lack of empathy stereotype is based on the deficit model of autism and therefore on the lack of theory of mind. This model has roots in eugenic and neocolonialism (also known as neurocolonialism) and is deeply ableist.

We have great research with good methodology and ethics (the opposite is true for the deficit model) about autistics not lacking theory of mind and being empathetic (often hyper empathetic). They just show empathy differently than the neurotypical. This is in fact true for many stereotypes about autism. Autism is a different cognitive style to process information, communicate (including emotions) and learn.

It’s where the Double Empathy Problem of Dr. Damian Milton comes in. It’s the difference and not the lack between two or more individuals/group of individuals that makes the understanding issue.

We are plenty of autistics on Lemmy.

I guess it closes the debate about Musk being autistic. Autistics are more likely to be hyper empathetic.

Someone should give them a sticker with Trump and this sentence. It’s the final touch.