Transmasc infantilization (rant)
I realized today just how insidious the whole “infantilization of transmasc autistic adults” thing is in my physical-space life and I’m really fucking over it.
I’m sick to death of people acting like I’m some innocent child or paragon of virtue to be protected or corrupted at their whim. I’m 37 fucking years old for fuck’s sake???
Transmasc infantilization (rant part 2)
Pro-fucking-tip: Don’t joke to your transmasc and/or autistic friends that you “corrupted” them or act like their grown-ass decisions are in any way your fault.
It’s triggering as hell.
Transmasc infantilization (rant part 2)
@shardsofblue that sounds both creepy and exhausting.
If you have the energy, do you have thoughts as to what heuristic trap is driving this behavior? Or does it just seem kinda random?
Transmasc infantilization (resultant behavior)
@starless this plays out as a tendency to assume we need that imagined innocence protected, or to assume departures from that imagined innocence are due to outside influence, rather than understanding that we’re fully-realized adults.
People see us as “cute” and treat us accordingly. Never treat a grown adult like a cute caricature.
Transmasc infantilization (reasons 2)
@starless that may be more broad than you were asking, but it is those broad traits that cumulatively cause people to infantilize us. Anything that either highlights that perception or contradicts it draws it out into the open.
Transmasc infantilization (reasons)
@starless 1st, transmasc folks who transition as adults tend to look younger than we are. I’m literally getting my first scraggly beard hairs at 37, and there are small but cumulative permanent effects to missing t-based puberty as a teen.
2nd, autistic folks tend to have strong moral compasses & to openly enjoy “childish” things, both of which lead to people assuming we’re innocent and childlike broadly.