There is something to be said about the wave of “just be yourself” where “as long as yourself is acceptable” is just swimming under the surface.
I’ve always spoken quickly (and am probably hyperverbal), more so when I’m happy or excited. Which in practice means that whenever I get happy/excited around strangers, I’m rolling the dice on being interrupted and told I should speak more slowly & they have to strain to understand me.
I have to strain to speak slowly. I can’t “be myself” and speak slowly most of the time, and. yknow. I am always me. I would always have to strain myself to speak “right”, whereas the person im speaking to often only has to do it for a minute or two.
Don’t get me wrong, I get that it can be really annoying and bothersome, I even get why it pisses people off, I just wish my self-expression wouldnt so often be synonymous with annoying others.





![a bright green-coloured userbox with an image of many four-leaved clovers. The text reads: “this autistic user is nonverbal [sideways smiley face]”.](https://64.media.tumblr.com/95852efca1610f11b4b2fe97ac47970d/42fc7b26f58115dd-9a/s640x960/f32dc0eceeb153c1c16c88c01079139bca0c4adb.jpg)
![a light green-coloured userbox with an image of a pond with lily pads in it. The text reads: “this autistic user is semiverbal [sideways smiley face]”.](https://64.media.tumblr.com/983b16fc7a9490f59615e92b8f4db697/42fc7b26f58115dd-a5/s640x960/43c3f3f9fdd3a42ceb81b7a3990ab7924ee711c2.jpg)
![a greyish green-coloured userbox with an image of a forest that has pools of water across its floor. The text reads: “this autistic user is hyperverbal [sideways smiley face]”.](https://64.media.tumblr.com/708965e3c300b2c85bf7bc91b8b88d41/42fc7b26f58115dd-62/s640x960/aa0eba8ea566921ba9d3e55cafbdfa65fe1a5248.jpg)


![a green-coloured userbox with an image of a burning, green wax candle. The text reads: “this autistic user needs to use AAC to communicate [sideways smiley face]”.](https://64.media.tumblr.com/4cb4b7416e892184518fd5ce972dc3a2/42fc7b26f58115dd-15/s640x960/fffb423f0a8c2afb9dbaeed634ae4a492bfd39c5.jpg)

![a khaki green-coloured userbox with an image of mossy stones. The text reads: “this autistic user has stims and tics that often get confused for communication, which they can find very frustrating!!! [sideways sad face]”.](https://64.media.tumblr.com/ecb8253b1e70f62e6441ec5c1a426096/42fc7b26f58115dd-98/s640x960/e9b732a14a3357bfd867dfc9954cc8335a732b78.jpg)
![a purple and green-coloured userbox with an image of a tree trunk, which is surrounded by vines, greenery and purple flowers. The text reads: “this autistic user finds communicating very difficult + may struggle to find all the words they want. please be patient with them! [sideways heart emoji]”.](https://64.media.tumblr.com/8170ae31a845246bfa46bdc818f5d270/42fc7b26f58115dd-0b/s640x960/66127484a5ce0ad756e8cf86739dfbbf54696026.jpg)