Sometimes I struggle to explain why I’m so interested in autistic representation in the genres I read, because I’m not sure I vibe with everyone else’s reasons. The prevailing story is about how lonely people feel when they don’t see people like themselves in the stories they read, and how validated they feel when they finally do. I can empathize with this – people should definitely be able to feel validated rather than lonely! I’ve even had moments of validation like that, myself, and enjoyed them. But deep down I don’t think that a desire for validation (mine or others’) is what drives me in this work.
Lately, I’ve been thinking that what really drives me is an autistic desire for truth.
(Read the full post on Substack)