For people out there who are starting on the "am I autistic" journey, and are feeling the bite of imposter syndrome. Does it help to replace "autistic" with "a person who is allowed to say what their needs are, and claim those needs without having to apologize" ?
You're allowed to do that even if you're not autistic. That doesn't mean it doesn't matter whether or not you're autistic. It does! You need accurate information about yourself. Don't stop that search.
But you're allowed to claim your needs whether or not you are autistic.
You get to decide what your needs are, and who you are. Even if you are not autistic. Even if it's "just" anxiety and depression, that doesn't make you broken or wrong, too sensitive, or too much.
There is nothing shameful about being the way you are, whatever your neuro-status. You are allowed to take up space, and have inconvenient needs, and decide for yourself who you are.
#ActuallyAutistic
Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
hometown
4.5.7+hometown-1.2.0
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂
Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
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Joined February 10, 2023
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Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
@Zumbador@mefi.social
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Apr 09, 2026
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Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
@Zumbador@mefi.social
·
Apr 07, 2026
I tried to do a photo shoot with the foster rats, get some cute pictures that would help get them adopted. This was the only picture I got of Peanut that wasn't just a blur, and Raisin refused to come out from under the bed.
#rats #RatFosterDiary
#rats #RatFosterDiary
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Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
@Zumbador@mefi.social
·
Apr 01, 2026
Peanut is just ridiculously cuddly. She loves being stroked. But she also knows how to set a boundary, see the video 😊
https://youtu.be/rWnymZa9AuE?si=mF8asdlaunNMcTxw
#rats #RatsOfMastodon #RatFosterDiary
https://youtu.be/rWnymZa9AuE?si=mF8asdlaunNMcTxw
#rats #RatsOfMastodon #RatFosterDiary
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Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
@Zumbador@mefi.social
·
Mar 21, 2026
*Someone* placed this silk cloth near the rat cage. *Someone else* dragged the entire cloth through the bars into the cage. This is a great mystery.
(Luckily the cloth is mostly undamaged, just one or two small holes.)
#Rats #RatFosterDiary
(Luckily the cloth is mostly undamaged, just one or two small holes.)
#Rats #RatFosterDiary
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Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
@Zumbador@mefi.social
·
Mar 18, 2026
Today at the SPCA I walked 3 dogs: Duchess, Brandy and Bobo. Sort of.
I've walked Bobo before with no problem, but today he started barking aggressively at the dogs in the kennels next door. He was in "drive" and when he saw my hand move above him he lunged as if to bite me. He's a big dog and strong. I decided that it would be a bad idea for me to walk him further. The choice was to go back to his kennel through a corridor with dogs barking on both sides, or out past a dog run with dogs barking there too. Both bad choices. I found a spot where he couldn't see any dogs, and distracted him with treats till the kennel manager came past. I asked him for help, and he put Bobo back in his kennel for me.
That felt bad. But if Bobo bit me, that would have severe consequences for him.
Instead, I walked Duchess, a bouncy big-eared sweetheart who enjoys catching treats out of the air, and little Brandy, who is being adopted soon. So that's good news.
#SPCADiary #Dogs
I've walked Bobo before with no problem, but today he started barking aggressively at the dogs in the kennels next door. He was in "drive" and when he saw my hand move above him he lunged as if to bite me. He's a big dog and strong. I decided that it would be a bad idea for me to walk him further. The choice was to go back to his kennel through a corridor with dogs barking on both sides, or out past a dog run with dogs barking there too. Both bad choices. I found a spot where he couldn't see any dogs, and distracted him with treats till the kennel manager came past. I asked him for help, and he put Bobo back in his kennel for me.
That felt bad. But if Bobo bit me, that would have severe consequences for him.
Instead, I walked Duchess, a bouncy big-eared sweetheart who enjoys catching treats out of the air, and little Brandy, who is being adopted soon. So that's good news.
#SPCADiary #Dogs
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Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
@Zumbador@mefi.social
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Mar 03, 2026
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Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
@Zumbador@mefi.social
·
Mar 03, 2026
@Willow... and if you don't feel quite ready to do this yet, warm up to it by noticing how often you're asked your sex assigned at birth, and how seldom it is relevant. Seriously. Think about it. Then start making a noise. "why do you need to know!?"
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Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
@Zumbador@mefi.social
·
Feb 25, 2026
@alice the more servers have moderated registration, the less friction it will cause, as it becomes just a normal, expected part of signing up.
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Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
@Zumbador@mefi.social
·
Feb 14, 2026
AuDHD psychologist Dr Megan Anna Neff has published a survey, she's looking for AuDHD people who are willing to complete it. Self diagnosis accepted as valid.
Dr Neff's site, Neurodivergent Insights has been the source of much compassionate, accurate and balanced information so I am very excited to hear that she's doing this research.
She says:
"This survey is part of the research for my upcoming book, AuDHD Unlocked, which explores what it means to live at the intersection of autism and ADHD. While I’m bringing my own lens as an AuDHD psychologist, this book isn’t just mine — it’s rooted in our collective wisdom. Your responses will help shape the language, stories, and textures of this book. "
Link to the survey:
https://neurodivergentinsights.notion.site/Survey-2-5-Inner-Rhythms-2fea17a4bb8b8037a653d45a84e004c2
#ActuallyAutistic #AUDHD
Dr Neff's site, Neurodivergent Insights has been the source of much compassionate, accurate and balanced information so I am very excited to hear that she's doing this research.
She says:
"This survey is part of the research for my upcoming book, AuDHD Unlocked, which explores what it means to live at the intersection of autism and ADHD. While I’m bringing my own lens as an AuDHD psychologist, this book isn’t just mine — it’s rooted in our collective wisdom. Your responses will help shape the language, stories, and textures of this book. "
Link to the survey:
https://neurodivergentinsights.notion.site/Survey-2-5-Inner-Rhythms-2fea17a4bb8b8037a653d45a84e004c2
#ActuallyAutistic #AUDHD
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Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
@Zumbador@mefi.social
·
Dec 15, 2025
@Trilobyter oh yes it's keeping it's footsies warm!
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Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
Zumbador
@Zumbador@mefi.social
Masha du Toit, #writer of #ScienceFiction and #Fantasy, living in Cape Town, South Africa. #Autistic, Afrikaans, and #nonbinary 🙂 Post about #ThingsISaw, am fascinated by #etymology, love #cycling, don't have any pet rats right now, fan of #criticalrole. #fedi22
mefi.social
@Zumbador@mefi.social
·
Dec 19, 2023
@rolenthedeep she doesn't seem at all perturbed! 😅
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