i’ll explain further in this thread. [1/9] https://twitter.com/notinternetfork/status/1387405414636064768

take this post, for example. this whole trend of “you were bullied in school for [this reason]” is just entirely ableist. op might have had good intentions, but it’s ableist and i’ll explain why. [2/9] https://twitter.com/katiemedleyy/status/1386720226889375744

many neurodivergent children and adolescents, especially autistic children and adolescents, are bullied in school. neurodivergent people find a lot of comfort in their interests, but ironically, those are often the things they’re bullied for. [3/9]

bullying can have a huge impact on a child’s development. it can give them issues with self-esteem, mental health, and even their interests. [4/9]

speaking from personal experience, i stopped indulging in many interests i had because i was made fun of for liking them. this had a big impact on my sense of self and my willingness to let myself have “cringey” interests. [5/9]

and by implying that the person was bullied in school BECAUSE of their interests, even if it’s a joke, you are blaming the victim. this can bring up a lot of unresolved issues that stem from childhood bullying. blanche explains it here; [6/9] https://twitter.com/_itsblanche/status/1387333466023473155

many memes or jokes like “horse girl” or “ipad kid” stem from making fun of people with extremely focused interests, also known as ableism. [7/9]

this trend may not have had ableist or mean intentions, but it’s both of those things. making fun of people’s interests is harmful and is just another form of bullying. [8/9]

you may not even realize it, but your jokes can have an immense impact on someone. remember that the next time you want a “viral tweet” [9/9]