Autism, From Someone Who Is On The Spectrum

Autism And Right/Wrong Way to Do Something (April 2020)

"For years my dad and others have pointed out how I hold my cutlery. what hands I hold them in etc and made me change the way I am with my cutlery because "it was not right"and forced me to use it "correctly". So now every single time I go out to eat or even eat at home I am so conscious of how to use them. I have been shown how to use my knife and fork to cut things and how to cut things as if I have the intellect of a five year old! When will we stop forcing autistic / neurodiverse people to change the way do things because YOU do not view it as being correct? Unless it is detrimental to our health do not force us to change things."-thecovertautie

At the begin of the month, I saw this quote and it stuck with me all month long because if you asking what my childhood was like this quote could apply to so many things including my use of cutlery.  In reality, if I was allow in the early years of elementary I most likely would have been lefty because in almost everything I do many tasks either left hand dominant or both handed.  But like many things I was taught to change what is natural for me because others did not understand how I am able to do things both handed but I think being "forced" to do things the "acceptable" way made me prove that I was able to do both ways. The way that was able to do the  "normal" for me and the way that "acceptable" to the world. 

So for example, I can write mostly with my right hand and little bit with my left hand. I can throw frisbee and balls both handed. I can used my cutlery with both hands this includes me switching hands in the middle in the meals. This habit that drive my family crazy because most lefty end up elbowing someone who sit to the left of them at table especially in a booth. But until we change our view on what is "acceptable" to what is "natural" for someone. An autistic is going to feel like they do something "wrong" especially when people bring attention to our unique habits. The "acceptable" way may not be any better someone, who is wired differently so you may actual make someone more self-conscious of normal habits for them.