The WAAD thread of 2022 was a brief look at what I consider the 'stages' I went through post diagnosis when it came to my #AutisticIdentity
Originally published
It's been 2 decades since I first starting acknowledging my autistic identity, and over 13 years since I was formally diagnosed.
This #WorldAutismDay I want to celebrate everything I've learnt in that time, and offer encouragement to others earlier in their journeys 
The main thing I really want to make clear today is that our own acceptance of our identity comes in stages, or at least it did to me. Because most of us will have gone a lot of life not knowing we're autistic so we're having to re-explore who we are behind the masks #WAAD
I'm now at my 5th stage of my autistic life, I started out pre-dx "I think I'm autistic but what if I'm wrong and I really am just a difficult person no-one likes?" I didn't have confidence in my own understanding of autism to be sure, I needed a professional to confirm it to me
Post dx I hit stage 2, the "oh my god I know who I am now" absolute relief stage, it lasted a few months or so but quickly transitioned to stage 3, the "well now what" stage. This lasted a good few years, trying to figure out how to explain being autistic to people and my needs
I was involved in the Autism in Pink project around 2013/4 and had felt really positive about progress happening in autistic acceptance, but a year or two later it felt like nothing was changing and I hit stage 4, what I call my "I'm mad as hell" stage!
This angry, wanting to change the world phase saw out my 20s but as I hit the big 30 I mellowed into the stage I'm still in now, my "I have a platform and I'm not taking no for an answer" vibe, which I have no intention of moving on from any time soon!
Obviously "not taking no for an answer" is only in regards to things like being refused reasonable adjustments, not things where consent is involved. It's amazing how many people still get those things the wrong way round 
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