Dave the Nomad 🇨🇦 :autism:@actuallyautistic Went to my first autistic adult social meetup tonight. I was super anxious and nervous going in...
I don't know anybody. What if I'm not "Autistic enough"? What if... I don't know. What if this invalidates me? What if I don't fit in?
It was an outdoor venue, so I took Zoe, my Husky, for backup. For comfort and as an icebreaker.
I stayed for an hour and a half, and I was really surprised how comfortable and relaxed it was. Talked when I had something to say, quiet when I didn't. No pressure to carry a conversation.
Sitting around with 8 neurodivergent strangers was leaps and bounds more comfortable than sitting around with 8 people I'm familiar with at my in-laws cottage.
On the whole, the experience was incredibly validating. It felt like... even if I didn't have specific interests in common with the few people I talked to, I found my people.
All GNU social JP content and data are available under the