autistickeely:

Love On The Spectrum

I just finished watching “Love On The Spectrum” after binge watching all the episodes today and I wanted to share my thoughts. I actually really liked the show! I was worried it would be all “autism is such a horrible thing and autistic people are unable to love” but it’s not like that at all. There are some scenes where I thought to myself “umm I’m not sure about that” but the majority of the series was really well done. Every autistic person on the show had different perspectives and experiences they shared and I loved that because we’re all super different and it’s great to show that. I also could really relate to a lot of the experiences that were shared and it made me feel good inside! I’ve asked my parents to watch the show too because it’s been very hard for them trying to get me diagnosed and trying to get me support and I think they would find it nice to know that so many families have been through or are currently going through the same thing they have been though. It can be difficult for families when someone in the household is autistic because we think and feel differently to them and that can seem scary. I loved the fact that so many families on the show were accepting and loving of their autistic family members and they embraced the fact that they were different. Autism is not a disease or an illness, it is a differently wired brain and that’s nothing to be fearful of.

On the subject of trying to find love as an autistic person I think it is challenging with the social difficulties we can often face. Personally I find it incredibly hard to make friends and talk to people in person because my anxiety overwhelms me. I also never know what to say and I try to stick to a script but I always end up saying something awkward or rude. I’ve never been on a date before but one day I would like to because I do want to find someone to spend my life with. The thought of it right now though is way too terrifying and I think I would just run away as soon as I got there lol. I have an autism support worker who helps me with understanding all things social and I’ve learnt a lot over these past few years working with her which has helped me be able to socialise online and keep up a conversation. My goal for the future is to make a friend that I can go places with and have fun with. I haven’t had a friend in person for a very long time and I only go out with my parents, my sister or my nan. Having a friend would be super cool and maybe one day I could have a romantic relationship with someone, who knows. I have two sisters so I have often feel pressure to copy them and be like them but it’s impossible to do so because I’m not like them at all. They both got into romantic relationships so easy and they made friends so easily too and then there’s me sitting at home with my parents playing Pokémon and watching Star Wars 🤣 I just can’t understand how they have done it!! I don’t think it’s something that will ever be easy for me but I don’t think it’s impossible for me to achieve. I’ve just got to meet the right person who understands me and accepts me and is preferably autistic as well who I can be myself around and don’t feel pressure to mask around. I would like to think there is someone like that out there for me.

Overall I think it was a really good show and I loved all the autistics who were in it and I would encourage people to give it a watch. I know some autistics don’t like the show but I think it’s important to remember that some autistic people might describe themselves and their experiences in a way that other autistics might not agree with. We just have to accept that we can all choose to identify in the way we wish and we can all describe our own experiences in the way we wish to also. There were some things that autistics and parents in the show said that I didn’t necessarily agree with myself but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong, it just means we have different opinions and have different experiences. I don’t think there was anything horrible said in the show and I think it gave a voice to a lot of autistics and shared a lot of great information about autism and what it’s like to be autistic. Autism is a disability and it’s not easy and it’s okay to say that. It doesn’t mean you have to be ashamed, it’s okay to struggle and still be proud to be autistic. Let me know what you thought of the show if you’ve seen it!