• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Geek Club Books

Autism Education, Awareness, Acceptance, Advocacy

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • About
    • Autism Storytelling for Hope and Change
    • Speaking
    • Creative Team & Educational Specialists
    • Advisory Board
    • Our Benefactors
    • Press
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
  • Blog
    • All Articles and Interviews
    • Articles By Author
  • Families
    • Welcome Autism Families!
    • Autism Resources Bundle!
    • Freebies
    • Mighty League Autism Moms
  • Educators
    • Welcome Educators!
    • Autism EDU
    • Bluebee TeeVee, Autism Information Station
    • School Visits
  • Comics
    • Autism Comics Overview
    • Autism in Real Life Comic
    • Autism Spectrum Comic
    • End Awareness Comic
    • Understanding Autism Comic
    • Mighty League 1: Autistic Hero Comic
    • Mighty League 2: Autistic Hero Comic Book
  • Resources
    • How to Find Resources
    • Asking Autistics
    • Autistic Self-care
    • Amazon Autism Book Shop
    • What is Autism?
    • Books By Autistic Authors
    • What is Autism Awareness?
    • Autism Glossary
    • Autism Myths
    • Autistic or Person with Autism?
    • Speech and Language
    • Autism Business Ideas
  • Zoom Magazine
    • Issue 13: Family
    • Issue 14: Trailblazers
    • Issue 15: Powerful Women
    • Issue 16: Travel
    • Issue 17: Health
  • Take Action
    • How to Advocate for Autism
      • #Activate4Autism
      • Activator Heroes
    • Make a Difference
  • Contact
  • Donate

You’re So Normal

November 4, 2014 By Jodi Murphy Leave a Comment

TwitterFacebookPinterestLinkedInRedditWhatsApp

Autism Insider Megan Amodeo with her family

By Megan Amodeo

You seem so normal.

I have heard this statement repeated numerous times from friends, relatives, and random people.  Sometimes they are referring to me, sometimes my daughters with autism and sometimes our family in general.

When my girls were diagnosed at the ages of three and seven, I thought people were just trying to make me feel better. When I was diagnosed on the spectrum a few years later, I thought people just said, “You seem so normal!” to be nice. As time has passed and life has marched forward, I have often pondered the word normal.

What is normal?  Is anybody really normal?

I know what people mean when they say someone with high-functioning autism or Aspergers is normal. I found this out through an abrupt and odd comment made at a doctor’s appointment. I have had the same Ob/Gyn since I got pregnant with my first daughter in 2000. I was at this particular doctor frequently due to high risk pregnancies, fertility issues, and the fact that my children were all born less than four years apart (2001, 2003, 2005). Over the years I became acquainted with most of the office staff.  We would exchange niceties and ask about families, vacations, school…you know, general conversation.  At some point throughout my numerous visits, I revealed that two of my three daughters had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. The first time the secretary just smiled and said something about autism becoming more common.

At a later visit, this same secretary asked how my children were doing in school. I made the comment they were all fine and enjoyed school. What she said back to me shocked and later offended me (after I thought about it). She said, “You know it is amazing what some people with autism can do nowadays. My friend has a son with autism, and he actually got a job! Can you believe it?” She went on to say that someone had also married him and that he had a child. Being my blunt self, I nearly shouted out, “Wow, that is amazing! I am autistic and I also have a job, children, and some poor soul married me!”

At that time, I didn’t tell many people that not only was I raising girls on the spectrum, but I am also a card carrying member of the same club. It is called a spectrum because just like a box of crayons, all autistics are different. Some of us are higher functioning, and some have more unique challenges.

It’s the whole idea of the word normal that really bothers me. You see for most of us non-typical types, there is a fine line between what society considers normal and what those on the spectrum consider normal. It takes work, patience, and a whole lot of frustration for individuals with autism to appear as normal as possible in certain social situations. Often it is not until we are in a safe place, with people who love and accept us where we can just be ourselves.

The best analogy I have ever heard regarding autistics trying to act normal is this, “You (autistic person) are like a duck on the water, on the surface you appear to have it all together, but underneath your feet are swimming like crazy trying to stay afloat.”

So here is my take on the whole normal thing: Just let those people on the spectrum that you encounter know it’s OK to NOT be normal.

Normal is so overrated!

Read about Megan

If you liked this post, you may also like:

  • Autistic Detail: The Other Person First
  • Anxiety and the Pressure Cooker of Life
TwitterFacebookPinterestLinkedInRedditWhatsApp

Filed Under: Autism Insider, Blog Haps, Penfriend Project Autism Columns Tagged With: autism writing, Megan Amodeo, Penfriend Project

About Jodi Murphy

Jodi Murphy is the founder of Geek Club Books, a registered nonprofit committed to creating a world where autistic individuals are fully accepted, valued and have a voice. Her priority is bringing autistic individuals creative and leadership opportunities that are meaningful, empowering and support their advocacy. She works with a creative autistic team to produce pop culture-based autism awareness education that is innovative, engaging, positive and opens hearts and minds to a new way of thinking about autism. Sign up for Geek Club Books mailing list for free apps, resource guides, curriculum, audio stories and more: https://geekclubbooks.com/autism-bundle.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Join Our Neurodiverse Community:

Read Our Current Issue:

Search

Latest

  • #AskingAutistics: When Did You Realize You See the World Differently?
  • A Year That Forced Me to Be More Patient and Flexible
  • This Year I’ll No Longer Apologize for Taking Up Space
  • #AskingAutistics: What Caused Your Autistic Burnout?
  • Why I’m the Caregiver I Never Had Growing Up

Topics

  • 501c3 Mission (8)
  • Anxiety (8)
  • App & Product Reviews (12)
  • Autimisms (29)
  • Autism Acceptance (13)
  • Autism at Work (9)
  • Autism Entrepreneurs (17)
  • Autism Resources (6)
  • Blog Haps (535)
  • Buzz (6)
  • Classroom (15)
  • Curious Interviews (116)
  • Day in the Life (9)
  • Dorktales (4)
  • Impactful Blogs (9)
  • Labels (4)
  • Love (5)
  • Mighty League (31)
  • Neurodiversity (2)
  • Our Personal Autism Journey (28)
  • Penfriend Project Autism Columns (216)
    • Adriana's Awesome Autistic Book Lists (1)
    • Aspierations (16)
    • Autism Insider (76)
    • Autistic Speaks (27)
    • Being Brave (25)
    • Chloe Rothschild (3)
    • Fidgets and Fries (2)
    • Happy Aspie (9)
    • My Shaynanigans (8)
    • Neurodivergent Rebel (20)
    • Positively Autistic (17)
    • Proud Autistic Living (6)
    • Tud Sense (5)
  • Pop Culture (8)
  • Safety (8)
  • Self-Care (7)
  • Self-Esteem (3)
  • Self-Improvement (10)
  • Sensory Needs (9)
  • Social Skills (4)
  • Speech and Language (6)
  • Tell Us Your Story (29)
  • Zoom Autism (55)

Footer

Support Our Work

Partners

#ReadYourWorld Advisor
 

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2021 Geek Club Books

To improve your experience on our site we may use cookies. Find out more.