Life as an autistic Catholic

Oh, you thought Fr. Matthew Schneider was the only one? Hardly! There's this weird belief that autistic people are more likely to be non-theistic (and I question those studies, most autistic people I know believe in God, I know one that calls himself atheist but think he is more than likely agnostic). I question those claims, severely, as modern science has basically become "If leftists believe it, it's true". (See: Replication crisis).
That's not actually what I want to talk about. I wanted to talk about this reductionist view of seeing people like me as, well, people.
"Put a mask on sir" (Never mind the fact you're not wearing one!), because I guess it's okay if I feel like I'm being strangled, but, fine for you otherwise (this is a different story for a different time, if you want to wear a mask, wear a mask).
And I think that's it; autism spectrum disorders aren't "visible". By that, I mean you can't tell that someone is autistic just by looking at them.
Oh sure, you may have some stereotype in your head of what an aspie is like. Kinda nerdy, probably wears glasses, plays Dungeons 'n' Dragons. (Hey now, it's the geeks that play D 'n' D, not the nerds! We play Sega Dreamcast!)
But, unless you are one of us, you don't know us. Because every autistic person is different. So, what does this have to do with an article on a Catholic site?
Well, dear reader, like you, I was made in the image and likeness of God;
"And God said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth.
And God created man to his own image: to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27, Douay Rheims version)
So, what point am I trying to make?
It's this. That while I am different than you (if you are not on the spectrum, and even if you are), that, as an autistic person, I was created in the image and likeness of God.
The same as ALL people. Being autistic doesn't make me not a Child of God.
I'm a little different, and you know what? I'm okay with that.
Oh, before I forget, since autism is a spectrum, and I am on the higher end end of it, please stop saying "With autism", as autistic people tend to PREFER the word "autistic". Thanks!
Anyway, here's a resource to help y'all out (and, I gotta say, as an autistic Catholic, I LOVE incense). Autistic Priest