Inclusion is when everyone can be who they are and together you form a community. But that is not how inclusion seems to work in today’s world. It seems more to be about ‘participation’ which is like ‘adapt to our way of life so you can join us’. I am 54, and only since the past 7 years have I sought professional help (beyond psychologists, which I have had since I was 15). And in those 7 years I have noticed a disturbing pattern of something I can only describe as victim-blaming. It’s like they say “we have methods and systems, if they don’t work; well, that’s because of you.” The system seems built around avoidance of responsibility; pushing consequences down instead of up. They keep moving the goalposts and gaslight when you confront them. I don;t know how to deal with it anymore.
I hear you. I’ve been called a “loner” and “different” my whole life. Sometimes people called me a “rebel” and a “troublemaker”. Turns out I’m autistic. Yay me.
And society at large likes to play by rules made up and enforced by itself. Us autistic people aren’t included in those. And thus we wind up trying really hard to play by the rules, only to find out others don’t… and they don’t face any consequences.
If the rules exist to keep me in check, but everyone else gets to roam free, it isn’t personal responsibility. Instead, it’s a failure of society at large to recognize us and accommodate us equally and fairly.
And… that’s why I’m into politics.