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Categories

 We are all living examples of categories, and many of these categories intersect. Another term for category is "label," but I don't like that one as I consider my categories part of my identity. So, how many categories do you have?

Categories appear to give a sense of compartment that other areas of research do not provide. They can be given to you by society or claimed by the self. Regardless of your feelings about categories,we are all a combination of many categories.

I am Queer, Multiply Neurodivergent, Non-binary (genderfluid transfeminine hypertwink and otherkin), a furry, specifically my sexual orientation would fall under omnisexual, but I am also demisexual, and I am Disabled among many other categories: writer, student, activist, artist, experimental musician, soon-to-be worker. 

All of these areas of my life intersect, much like how someone else's race or sexual orientation might intersect with gender. Categories are everywhere and they are what we use to create our identity and identity is not inherent.... You must discover it throughout your life. There are some categories that are inborn and many more that are influenced by environmental circumstances. You must take your identity to the level that brings comfort to you, and not let anyone else get in the way of how you decide to define yourself. Of course, there are exceptions, such as when a conservative decides it is a good idea to make a fake social media persona to bring attention to a specific issue that doesn't actually have anything to do with them.

Categories are what you make of them, but my main point is that these categories make up who you are and compose your identity. There are people out there pompous enough to try to tell you what your identity is, but do not listen to them because they do not know you. Only you can decide for yourself what is true to your identity, but in the process, do not try to take on the identity of others. Be yourself and the rest will eventually fall into place. Learn to unmask and stop seeing the world through a hyper-realistic lens that has no pathway for improvement. I would like to gather all of my fellow Neurodivergents and other Disabled people to take a look at all of the categories they possess that make up their identity. With time, maybe we will be a little more easygoing on ourselves. 

This is also a call to action to really get to know yourself, from the inside out. I could probably go on endlessly about categories, but what I'm really speaking of is identity. Your identity is valuable. It is what makes you you. Never take your true identity for granted, and you will find great relief in having been courageous enough to be yourself... Because being yourself can be scary sometimes as many Autistics know. That's why we mask. We want to appear "normal" in public, and while sometimes that comes in handy, wouldn't you like to put all of that aside for once and just accept yourself for who you are? 

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