Opinion: I Come With an Instruction Manual

Autism and the whole “Disability Passport” thing? Let’s talk about it. Apparently, I need a little sticker on me that says, “Hello, I’m different, handle with care,” so you know what you’re getting into before we even shake hands. Sure, the idea is to make life easier, but honestly, it sounds more like an easy way for everyone else to skip the effort of actually getting to know me. Why should my brain quirks come with a pre-warning? Wouldn’t it be better if people just treated me like a person and figured things out as we go? After all, we all have our weirdness—so why should mine come with a badge? It’s all about being seen for who I am, not just a list of things to adjust for.