Re: Working a 'mask' : Sentient beings

[Guest guest]

I used to have people say " Smile, it can't be THAT bad. " It was as if I was

upset or frowning about something, and I wasn't. I thought it was a dumb

assumption to make. It made me want to say " Frown, it can't be THAT good! " I

hate it when I have a 'neutral' expression and people think there's something

wrong. Are we supposed to go around looking chirpy?

[Guest guest]

> I used to have people say " Smile, it can't be THAT bad. " It was as

> if I was upset or frowning about something, and I wasn't. I thought

> it was a dumb assumption to make. It made me want to say " Frown, it

> can't be THAT good! " I hate it when I have a 'neutral' expression

> and people think there's something wrong. Are we supposed to go

> around looking chirpy?

I hope not.

Chirpy people make me very nervous.

[Guest guest]

> Women in the U.S., at least, *are* supposed to " go around

> looking chirpy. " Ugh. That was one of the things so good

> about Autreat: no need to smile unless it came from inside,

> no need to reassure people that I'm not " sad, " no need to

> make eye contact. One thing you might notice in my Autreat

> account is how jarring the two NT presenters were compared

> to the autistic " normal " (at Autreat).

You forgot the third NT presenter. <grin>

Although she's not really NT in the strict sense of the word, just the

directions in which she's not NT have nothing to do with autism as far

as either of us can tell.

[Guest guest]

wrote:

>I used to have people say " Smile, it can't be THAT bad. " It was as if I

>was upset or frowning about something, and I wasn't. I thought it was a

>dumb assumption to make. It made me want to say " Frown, it can't be THAT

>good! " I hate it when I have a 'neutral' expression and people think

>there's something wrong. Are we supposed to go around looking chirpy?

Women in the U.S., at least, *are* supposed to " go around

looking chirpy. " Ugh. That was one of the things so good

about Autreat: no need to smile unless it came from inside,

no need to reassure people that I'm not " sad, " no need to

make eye contact. One thing you might notice in my Autreat

account is how jarring the two NT presenters were compared

to the autistic " normal " (at Autreat).

Jane

[Guest guest]

I wrote:

>... One thing you might notice in my Autreat

>> account is how jarring the two NT presenters were compared

>> to the autistic " normal " (at Autreat).

and responded:

>You forgot the third NT presenter. <grin>

>

>Although she's not really NT in the strict sense of the word, just the

>directions in which she's not NT have nothing to do with autism as far

>as either of us can tell.

Debra definitely does not fit into the " chirpy "

category -- thank goodness!

Jane