June 27, 2021

Why do bullies (of all ages) tend to pick on autistic people (of all ages)? Is it really just that we’re weird enough to make an easy target?

Or, do we threaten their power somehow?

I’m socially oblivious in many ways. Besides established authority figures, I don’t know how to figure out who has power, or what they expect of me. I certainly wouldn’t know how to usurp them if I wanted to.

However, in my ignorance, maybe I make off-handed comments that invert the power structure, or at least equalize it. Maybe I’m the one crying out, “The emperor has no clothes!”

And bullies don’t like that.

P.S. I write from my personal experience as an autistic. What I share is not a substitute for advice from an autistic medical professional. Also, some of my opinions have changed since I first wrote them.