There is a quiet violence in the phrase “something is wrong with you.” Most autistic people hear it long before they understand language. It shows up as correction. As redirection. As reward for compliance. It shows up when curiosity is labeled distraction and intensity is labeled pathology. Autism is not a disorder of intelligence. It is not a lack of empathy. It is not a failure to adapt. Autism is a difference in how awareness moves through the body and brain . Many autist