First, I'm *so glad* this piece helped you feel seen and validated! I keep wrestling with the idea that maybe "my" understanding of autism is so different, or so much broader, of other people's that we're just not really talking about the same underlying construct, and then I wonder if we need distinct terminology, or clearer diagnostic criteria, etc. etc. And then I reconnect with a more fundamental belief, which is that ALL of this—the diagnostic process, the mental healthcare system, the blogs and the Reddit forums and so on—ALL of it should fundamentally be in service of human flourishing. If the "autistic" label helps us understand our experiences, connects us with other people with whom we connect on a profound, "soul" level, and get the support we need to thrive, and if we're not taking away care or resources from others who also need it, then I think that's overwhelmingly a beautiful thing. And my hyper-logical, "wants everything to fit into a neat, well-defined box" brain may need to keep making peace, over and over again, with the semantics of it all.