Autistic Pride is

Accepting myself for who I am, both the good and bad parts of being Autistic.

Advocating for myself and others like me.

Being passionate and sharing my knowledge of my special interests with others.

Getting tinted glasses to help with light sensitivity issues.

Going non-verbal and not being afraid to use an AAC device if needed.

Helping others like myself learn to love who they are.

Learning the best coping skills to deal with sensory issues.

Reclaiming stims that were yelled out of you as a kid.

Recommending stim toys to others because you think they would find them useful

Sharing my life experiences with others to help people get a better understanding of Autism.

Showing the world that being Autistic is not some horrible thing.

Speaking in echolalia to get your point across.

Stimming when I need to, whether it be for happy reasons or anxiety reasons.

Using Identity-First language.

Wanting to spread Peace, Love, and Neurodiversity!

Autism Acceptance Month – Day 24 – Comfort ...

Another comfort item I had when I was really young (ages 1-5) was this yellow dog plush. I remember taking him everywhere with me. He was slightly weighted – I later learned that he was filled with ground nut shells. That also explains why I could never get the horrible scent of patchouli off of him, since he had organic materials inside. I was devastated that my brothers dad sprayed him with that scent, as I hated it. It was horrible and a sensory overload, so you can imagine as a tiny Autistic child I nope’d and didn’t want anything to do with my dog plush anymore.

I no longer have the plush, but I did find a picture of one online. I think by the time mine got ruined he was missing his nose and his fur was very matted, yet I still loved him to death. While searching for this photo I learned he was a Dakin Drooper dog made in the 1970’s. I knew he was my mom’s as a kid, and then she gave him to me.

Autism Acceptance Month – Day 21 – Stimming

— What is stimming? —

“Self-stimulatory behavior, also known as stimming, is the repetition of physical movements, sounds, or repetitive movement of objects common in Autistic individuals.” – Wikipedia Definition

Stimming helps us regulate sensory issues, helps us show our emotions, and is also quite fun sometimes!

— What is the first stim you can recall having? —

Spinning or twirling! I loved to spin as a kid and still do. I remember wanting to play with the Sit n’ Spin all the time. I also loved going to the fair or amusement parks that had rides that went in circles. In fact I still get quite happy flappy when I get to go ride those kinds of rides now. They are the best!

Another early one I had mentioned in another post was swings. One of my favorite rides at fairs and amusement parks are the swings, where you also spin. Best thing ever!

— How do you usually stim? Are you a tactile stimmer, pressure stimmer etc.? —

It really depends on what I need sensory wise, my mood, or if I am just doing it because it’s fun. I enjoy most types of stimming. So my answer is: many different ways!

— What’s your current favorite stim? —

That is a hard one to answer. Lately I have been stimming a lot with my Fidget Cube. My other favorite stims are playing with any of the jewelry I wear when I leave the house and, of course, swaying side to side or twirling (though I call that whooshing).

— Do you have different stims for when you are happy or agitated? —

Yes, yes I do. I tend to flap to express my emotions. Where I hold my hands and arms in relation to my body to flap depends on my mood. If I am happy/excited my arms are up in front of my chest and face flapping. If I am agitated or angry I have my hands and arms at my sides and flap near my waist.

When out in public and I start to have anxiety issues I usually stim with any of the jewelry I am wearing, pull out my fidget cube, or maybe even carry a small plushie to pet.

— Do you stim in public? —

Yes, as I would rather look a bit strange to others over having a shutdown or meltdown. If someone asks what I am doing I can educate them about stimming (or have whoever I am with explain, if I am non-verbal).


Please do not try to stop an Autistic person from stimming, unless it’s harming them or someone else or it’s disrupting many people. We stim because it’s a NEED; it helps us regulate and focus ourselves. Otherwise we are too busy focusing on the sensory issue, the anxiety issue, or whatever else is causing the need to stim in the first place. And yes, sometimes there isn’t a need and we just stim for fun as well. To an Autistic person, stimming for fun can feel amazing and make us happy.

I will be doing another post soon on types of stim toys and showing off my collection of them!