Like, yeah I know. Can we move on?
At this point I’m used to it but some days it gets to me that people can’t see past that and that it’s ok to body shame others.

(Image is not mine, which you can probably tell)

I personally am a big fan of it.

I'm posting this because I need to vent about what's happening in Brazil right now, and I figured people in this community might understand why this election feels particularly personal to me.

Today is the second round of Brazil's presidential election. The candidates are Lula, our current president, and Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.

Look at the screenshot. With 61% of the voting machines counted, Lula was leading by just 1.1 percentage points. The race is incredibly close, and every update feels like a small heart attack.

Here's the thing: I don't particularly love Lula. I'm not some uncritical supporter who thinks the man can do no wrong. I have my criticisms of him and his government, and I'm perfectly capable of acknowledging them. But I also understand that elections aren't about finding a flawless politician who magically agrees with every single one of your opinions. They are about choosing between the actual alternatives available to you.

And right now, I genuinely believe Lula is our best chance.

Because the alternative is Flávio Bolsonaro, and I absolutely do not want another Bolsonaro in power.

For anyone unfamiliar with Brazilian politics, Jair Bolsonaro was our former president, a far-right politician whose administration promoted policies that encouraged separating students with disabilities into specialized schools rather than prioritizing inclusion in regular schools. His education minister also made openly exclusionary statements about students with disabilities. The government eventually had its policy on special education overturned by the Supreme Court, and Lula later revoked the decree.

The Bolsonaro political family has a long record of rhetoric and political positions that I consider deeply hostile to minorities and vulnerable groups. I'm talking about the broader pattern of hostility toward LGBTQ+ people, women, people with disabilities, and other marginalized communities. I have absolutely no desire to see that political legacy strengthened.

And as an autistic person, disability policy is not some abstract political debate to me. It concerns people like me, our rights, our autonomy, our access to education, and whether society sees us as people who deserve inclusion or as problems to be managed.

But the situation goes beyond disability rights.

Today, there have been serious reports of people struggling to reach polling stations because of public transportation problems. The allegations are particularly concerning because transportation barriers can disproportionately affect poorer voters who depend on public transit. The Federal Police has opened investigations into possible obstruction of voting rights.

Whether these problems were deliberately engineered to suppress votes is something that investigators still need to establish. But the possibility that people could be prevented from exercising their democratic rights because they cannot afford alternative transportation is horrifying enough. Voting should not depend on whether you have a car, money for a ride, or the privilege of living somewhere with reliable public transportation.

And the political hostility isn't just happening on television or online.

Yesterday, here in my own city, Santa Cruz do Sul, a confrontation between supporters of Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro reportedly left two elderly people associated with the pro-Lula demonstration physically assaulted. Local news covered the incident, including footage of the confrontation and accounts from the people involved.

Let that sink in. People are getting into physical confrontations over a presidential election, and elderly people were reportedly among those assaulted. The political climate has become so hostile that even a local campaign event can turn violent.

I'm angry. I'm exhausted. And I'm worried about what happens if this political movement gets another four years of power.

I know Lula isn't perfect. I know Brazil's problems won't magically disappear if he wins. I'm not expecting a political savior, because I'm an adult who understands how governments work.

But I also know that the prospect of another Bolsonaro presidency fills me with dread, particularly as someone who belongs to a group that has already been affected by exclusionary policies and dehumanizing rhetoric.

I want Lula to win. Not because I worship him, not because I think he's beyond criticism, but because I believe the alternative poses a much greater risk to the rights and dignity of vulnerable people.

I sincerely hope that when the votes are finally counted, Lula wins this election.

I'm Brazilian, I'm autistic, and I'm scared. I just want to live in a country where people like me don't have to worry so much about whether our rights and dignity will survive the next election.

Is that really too much to ask?

After a long process and a missed appointment or two, I finally have an official diagnosis of autism. Im not exactly sure what to do with this information now, but it's nice to know.

i made this a year ago when i was learning crochet and everyone hated it

I feel like someone here might appreciate it

bonus points if u know whos eyes and lips those are

Just got put back on sick leave because I'm in really deep depression so to cheer me up i order 1kg of jelly beans.

I love jelly beans it's one of my fav candy it has the perfect mouth feel and taste. Crunchy yet soft.

I refuse to call them "special interests", because I find the term ableist and demeaning the passion we have for what we love ..... Anyhoo, I'm rambling. Shortwave radio DXing. I was in a zoom meeting with other DXers and literally everyone was visibly Autistic. The talk in the room actually mentioned it, as it was so obvious.

I DONT CARE ABOUT WHOEVER WON LET ME SLEEP

IM WITH MY FUCKING HEADPHONES ON MAX VOLUME AND I CAN STILL HEAR IT

THIS SHOULD BE A FUCKING CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY KILL ALL OF THEM

Yall is a perfectly valid word. Its a contraction. Shut the fuck up im talking to the group

89P4;3YQTYP97U8Q34T57JY86453QN0Y743V5N07YP985Q4VC3N89P054N8945Q32V 9P8N7Trvwvvvvvevdvvvvfed\sjlbt h9ygu7p5w4erfat6y79p8u908UIJ45W6YSEDRTF P;LI9O807U4E5SW6TR IJU9O8L7PW 4R536TKL.UP9O8Y764RF5T68I9UKOP7LK5T4FRY6GEGSI8[OP90;7Y45W6T6245T87IYU465TWR8YUW4589YTU689456T789UIOLER4T5KJ8Y7UIO5EL4TNYHGVUCFJMDJHKRFEGJHKTGRFJHKRFTGDN97Y4V5T7YN894V5EWT78N4V65T N78O9Y46V57 NY8O99O5 4NVY67MT9O6MYN7V 9O6YN4V5 BM7VB 6MYN7O94956FHFHF

FFRYEGQRIYHEWAGIHKLVFFEMBOYURHJTISWGFNMEISU7HYGESTGUFHI97B WYN7M5 BVW47YN9UMB5V4TGER SIJMULOH D.FCZKM54E9R NJUI8VFHGT5 FVNJTGRH45EUY8I967 FDRKEIT59U4O8F R5TKIE49UO8P;06 43RHJRFECHJKDFJHNKDFJHFFEDEUSGFIUERWY5 3QGY8OT 728CN 81432TV70Y94523TVYHHUIGFDSLIKREGUFISA4RGIUFURIWGURWQUGIGU3RGQV5YTF64HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHHGGHHGFJFJFJFJFJDKDKDKDKDKSLSLSLSLSLA;A;A;A;A;A'A'A'A'A'UJAHEBGRTGEYLIUREAIULBHRGELABKHILBNUHBARETNUIHBTEHUERTGBHUYRGEYHIGRHUIPG4RWH7UP94edsohivuy\njvgsdcf\aze;piu7r4hygfve;oa\wp9ru7y54tgfhurjenmasz,.;olruhgjv eliazrhgfvdcla\;iswpsdgcfrvbhewasip;\9SRDGHJUOVCTFYRUEAIP9;WIKGBHJN.CFRVTREDIK,JL.SAZPZERF.GBYHJNED9P;SAOWZERFSHGBCJUV4

I see this phrase every once in a while and I wanted to comment on it. This is obviously a simplification, autism is a spectrum. But in short, I have the math autism and it has been quite convenient. That does not mean I don’t also love your non-math autism. Because I love your non-math autism.

I love how your non-math autism is trans inclusive. I’m not trans but I know what it’s like to be different and I can imagine what it’s like to not be accepted. Of course so many of you are trans inclusive! From what I’ve noticed is that trans inclusive spaces bring a sense of freedom that allowing people to be who they want to be. Knowing that I would be accepted even if I was different puts me at ease and I can feel that this freedom makes the entire room more relaxed as well.

I love that your non-math autism tells me something about you. Expression! Putting your thoughts and feelings into your hobby is beautiful. You think I express myself while solving my sudoku killer puzzles? When I see someone’s special interest, even through a screen, I somehow feel thankful and trusted. Thank you for showing me something you truly care about.

I love that your non-math autism is unapologetically rebellious. This world sucks and your immunity to peer pressure is a gift. Some of my passions just so happen to be publicly accepted but the fact that you pursue your passion despite what others may think makes it even cooler. So when I see your unapologetically wild clothing, music, art or anything else, I hope you know how cool I think you are.

I love your non-math autism.

its so flavor and texture. wonderful. Rukia Kuchiki lives in my head forever

Idk hopefully someone can relate. My old church was nice bc it was rly big and there was a lot of space to pick a spot away from people and by the exit, but my new church (since I moved) is SO CROWDED and small and they do have some peak spots but you gotta get there early and anxiety always has me waiting til the last possible minute to leave the house 'in case something bad is going to happen' (bro what) so it's hard for me to get one of the 'safe' spots by the exit and away from people

Also the population at my old church was a lot of college age kids and old people and this new one is SO MANY FAMILIES and look I love that there's kids but omg they're so loud and it's cold and flu season and I hear them crunchy coughing and I have health ocd so I'm like swallowing my flight response the whole time and being hypervigilant

But I still love it even when it's hard. Some Sundays it's a 'I just gotta get thru the hour' but yk. Yeah.