It's great that there's increasing attention for autism, but articles like this one demonstrate how far we still are from true inclusion. To me, autism is too much seen as trendy lifestyle choice instead of a neurological condition we are born with.

And then there's that eternal focus on how autism affects women! As if autistic men or other gender types don't suffer from diagnoses based on stereotypical male behavior. It's tiring to constantly hear how autism is "different" in women, while the core of the issue remains the same: a society that tries to force us into a neurotypical mold.

You are right that the term "disorder" is harmful. But you ignore the fact that many autistic people do benefit from support and guidance. Autism is not an illness, but that doesn't mean we don't have the right to assistance in navigating a world that wasn't made for us.

It's easy to shout that we're "just different" and that society should adapt. But the reality is more complex. Some autistic people need adjustments and tools to fully participate in society. By romanticizing autism as some kind of superpower, we do those people a disservice.

And let's be honest, those "intersectional identities" that you talk about are too often an excuse to ignore certain groups of autistic people. Where are the stories of autistic people with a migration background? Of autistic people with disabilities? Of autistic people who don't fit the stereotypical image of the "high-functioning" autistic?

It's time we look beyond the clichés and feel-good stories. Autism is more than an "awakening" or a "journey". It is one of the more complex parts of our identity, with all the challenges and benefits that entails. Let's stop simplifying autism and start truly listening to the diversity of autistic voices.