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2:50am July 7, 2014
thephotogfeminist asked: Hi! I really like you! I'm a alltistic person, but I really enjoy reading your posts. You've definitely given me a better understanding of the shit autistic people have to deal with. I reblog some things I think my followers should read, but please tell me if you ever want me to stop doing that. I don't want to derail your space. 💜

Luckily, I don’t have a space to derail.  :-)

Reblog all you want unless something has a tag like #do not reblog on it.

I know that a lot of people on tumblr consider posts to be ‘spaces’ that shouldn’t be violated by certain kinds of people.  And while I understand that of certain tags (#actuallyautistic can be read and reblogged by nonautistic people, but never ever posted in, and that’s how it should be), I find it utterly confusing when applied to single posts.  

I got on someone’s bad side once by actually adding my experiences into a discussion that was apparently a 'space’ that I wasn’t welcomed in.  It was very confusing, because there was no indication at all that the post was meant for certain people only.  And even if I’d guessed that the OP was a trans woman (which I didn’t), that wouldn’t have automatically told me that my experiences as a genderless person were unwelcome.  Because sometimes trans women want trans women’s space to themselves, and other times trans women are part of a broader space open to all trans people.  And none of this was made apparent in the conversation, so despite apologizing I think I’ve made a lifelong enemy out of inability to correctly read who a 'space’ was for.  Like if I’d known, I’d never have done it, but I can’t see how I could’ve known, there were not even the slightest indicators until she blew up in our faces.  And AFAIK she continues to hold a grudge, and has already tried to interfere with my relationships with other people on tumblr, making it sound like what happened was a habit of mine instead of a one-off mistake.

So to me, the idea that my posts are a 'space’ that shouldn’t be violated by being reblogged by the wrong kinds of people… it’s both foreign and intimidating, because I wouldn’t want to see anyone going through the kind of confusion and upset that some of us went through when we replied to what seemed like a perfectly innocent post.  Sometimes you have to be a mind-reader to tell what a 'space’ is, and I’m not a mind reader.

So you’re welcome to reblog anything that isn’t specifically tagged not to reblog.  You’re welcome to comment.  Your comments aren’t exempt from being argued with, possibly vigorously, but you can always comment.  I don’t run a separatist blog.

Notes:
  1. foundcarcosa-decommissioned reblogged this from withasmoothroundstone
  2. gloomkittie said: I’ve fine this before too. A few times actually. It’s incredibly intimidating. Tumblr social rules have really triggered me before actually
  3. withasmoothroundstone posted this