TikTok is a great resource because it provides a way for people to easily share, and the short format is more accessible for many people. I’ve learned a whole lot from other Autistic TikTokers and I suggest getting started by following these people.
But, first, you’ll need to set up your account. I highly suggest not using your name or personally identifying information for your username. While there is a lot of good on TikTok, there is also a lot of bad and many people have experienced harassment, doxxing (having their personal information shared), and swatting (someone calling the cops or SWAT team on them which then shows up at their home) as a result of sharing on TikTok. This includes Autistic people.
Let’s talk about TikTok etiquette. Like other social media sites, each person has a profile and their videos are their space. Many people will have a pinned intro post that you can find as the first or one of the first 3 videos on their profile page that explains who they are and lays down some rules for the space. Each person’s video is their space. When we go into others’ spaces, we need to respect their rules for engagement. It’s important that we stay in our lane and not try to correct others on experiences we don’t have that they do. For example, white people should not be ‘correcting’ Black people, Indigenous people, or other People of Color. Cis-het people should not be ‘correcting’ Queer people. Allistic (non-autistic) people should not be ‘correcting’ Autistic people. Abled people should not be ‘correcting’ Disabled people. Our experiences differing from other people’s does not mean that theirs is incorrect or invalid. You need to be aware of the societal privilege you bring into someone else’s space and behave in a way that doesn’t harm them. There is inherent violence in white people ‘correcting’ Black people on ableism, for example. We call in people who are at our intersections of oppression or those who are less oppressed.
Black women are the ones who have the most expertise and they can address any group of people. Do not tone police. Do not support white supremacy delusions by expecting to feel comfortable and unchallenged in all spaces if you are white. People get to choose who they want to interact with. People can choose to block you if you behave improperly. You should not expect to get a warning from them beforehand. You should not make another account so that you can follow them again; that is stalking. By respecting others and their boundaries and content, we are more likely to be able to be allowed to continue to be in their spaces.
People’s content is a gift which they have put a lot of time and work into, not something we are owed. It’s important that, if we have the ability to, we pay people for the labor that has helped us. Many creators have a Venmo or other link and you can send them a tip that way. It is common for people to have a Linktree as their profile link and provide the links that they talk about in their posts on there. If their content is changing your life or helping you parent better or helping your mental or physical health, it’s important to pay them what it is worth to you. Many TikTok creators, especially the Autistic and Disabled ones (who are less likely to be able to work), do not have a steady stream of income. It can also be super extra difficult for us to create content. If you do not have any money to spare, you can support creators by liking, saving, commenting, stitching, and duetting their work. Do not comment “bumping” or “promoting” as that will actually penalize the video in the system. You can always comment “Thank you,” “Thank you for sharing,” etc.
White people, it is considered appropriate to duet the work of Black creators without including (and thus centering) yourself in it. Recording darkness is the standard practice. It is important that you do so in the ways provided, and don’t take their work and post it as your own content. I also do not suggest sharing it publicly on other social media platforms out of respect to them. They can choose themselves if they want to crosspost it, so you can look and see if it is on the space you want to share it on already and just share it that way. Black should be capitalized, and white should not. Do not ask others for free labor. Do work through your own stuff and then to educate others at your intersections. Do not take others’ words or ideas and present them without crediting them. Do not use others’ work to create anything or profit off of it.
Please be a good human bean.
Be aware that a lot of what we need to do is deconstruct white supremacy culture. There are many Autistics who are working to do that…and many who are not. If people are saying that Autistics are somehow better, that is a red flag, just as it is a red flag if they are saying that we’re worse. If someone is saying everyone who disagrees with them has a mental health condition, that is a red flag. Any white supremacy culture behavior is a red flag. The autistic strong sense of justice can result in good things and bad things, depending on what each Autistic person thinks is good or bad. You have to be a wise content consumer.
Be aware of the inequities in the system. Black people, Indigenous people, and other People of Color often cannot say what white people can on that app without getting their work flagged or taken down, or even getting their account taken away. The algorithm and the way the reporting system works elevates white people and punishes those who speak up against injustice. So people who are not white have to get around it in a variety of ways, including changing what they say, changing how they spell white, using gestures, and/or not having subtitles at all, all because it reduces the chance of their post being removed.
Support people’s simple and happy posts, not just ones where they rip their heart open and pull out their trauma or educate you. Every person on that app is a whole person and should be supported as such.
Here are some people I follow. Some are Autistic, some are disabled, and some aren’t. I do not specifically endorse anyone, and remember that at any time someone can become problematic:
https://www.tiktok.com/@crutches_and_spice
https://www.tiktok.com/@rynnstar
https://www.tiktok.com/@tifftastic75
https://www.tiktok.com/@unhingedanddysregulated
https://www.tiktok.com/@portia.noir
https://www.tiktok.com/@rsa9.0
https://www.tiktok.com/@madeline_pendleton
https://www.tiktok.com/@thegardeningtheologin
https://www.tiktok.com/@tblizzy8
https://www.tiktok.com/@clair.witch
https://www.tiktok.com/@rollingthrough
https://www.tiktok.com/@itslennnie
https://www.tiktok.com/@allie_202_
https://www.tiktok.com/@fivebyfivek9
https://www.tiktok.com/@jamelleboulie
https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithkimb
https://www.tiktok.com/@theweeklycrisis
https://www.tiktok.com/@kaicrochets_
https://www.tiktok.com/@mapleandmortycorgi
https://www.tiktok.com/@cybr.grl
https://www.tiktok.com/@njostens
https://www.tiktok.com/@polnareffstoe
https://www.tiktok.com/@onystartist
https://www.tiktok.com/@feleciaforthewin
https://www.tiktok.com/@osayukithedoubleamputee
https://www.tiktok.com/@amyoverthinks
https://www.tiktok.com/@celestejosephjennings
https://www.tiktok.com/@erininthemorn
https://www.tiktok.com/@palousedressco
https://www.tiktok.com/@jordanthegreywitch
https://www.tiktok.com/@jchorsetraining
https://www.tiktok.com/@mina.alali
https://www.tiktok.com/@teadayblogs
https://www.tiktok.com/@allieschweizer
https://www.tiktok.com/@anticapitalistcoach
https://www.tiktok.com/@ameliajaneparker
https://www.tiktok.com/@ginsginsgins
https://www.tiktok.com/@_kandi1_
https://www.tiktok.com/@omgitsthatgirlki
https://www.tiktok.com/@gaiaenlightens
https://www.tiktok.com/@teesanderscomedy
https://www.tiktok.com/@thehannafamily_
https://www.tiktok.com/@theautizzykitty
https://www.tiktok.com/@likelysalty
https://www.tiktok.com/@white_woman_whisperer
https://www.tiktok.com/@alina.gene
https://www.tiktok.com/@thesituationaltherapist
https://www.tiktok.com/@pinksugarfairies
https://www.tiktok.com/@poppycork
https://www.tiktok.com/@prntgdcolonized
https://www.tiktok.com/@world.shaker
https://www.tiktok.com/@dirtsawithlove
https://www.tiktok.com/@jamilaperry3
https://www.tiktok.com/@deelasheeart
https://www.tiktok.com/@akashalight
https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackspeechie
https://www.tiktok.com/@infinity_waves_
https://www.tiktok.com/@alyssanicole4reelz
https://www.tiktok.com/@pinwheelofthought
https://www.tiktok.com/@joyrejuvenates
https://www.tiktok.com/@agaave
https://www.tiktok.com/@alayisha1
https://www.tiktok.com/@t.writes.things
https://www.tiktok.com/@ash.erinaa
https://www.tiktok.com/@maiwa_b
https://www.tiktok.com/@kikichamberstiktok
https://www.tiktok.com/@the.real.court.jester
https://www.tiktok.com/@femphilosophy
https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnyosahn
https://www.tiktok.com/@nimay.ndolo
https://www.tiktok.com/@softscorpio
https://www.tiktok.com/@_mindofmusic
https://www.tiktok.com/@kayjaydivine
https://www.tiktok.com/@alluringskull
https://www.tiktok.com/@the_landk
https://www.tiktok.com/@genericartdad
https://www.tiktok.com/@ashantimakeba
https://www.tiktok.com/@zeyeal
https://www.tiktok.com/@headstrongadventure
https://www.tiktok.com/@troimusic
https://www.tiktok.com/@lyan.kim
https://www.tiktok.com/@lochnessofficial
https://www.tiktok.com/@aniyahinspires
https://www.tiktok.com/@confrontational.adoptee
https://www.tiktok.com/@venusinfernal
https://www.tiktok.com/@faithfulpottery
https://www.tiktok.com/@waywarddaughter7
https://www.tiktok.com/@phoebe.sharmila
https://www.tiktok.com/@kickitkiki
https://www.tiktok.com/@thegothiccleric
https://www.tiktok.com/@ceceseemae
https://www.tiktok.com/@divinebeginings
https://www.tiktok.com/@adiaha_young
https://www.tiktok.com/@comprehensiveconsent
https://www.tiktok.com/@madronasunrise
https://www.tiktok.com/@chaoticsphinx
https://www.tiktok.com/@5hahem
https://www.tiktok.com/@neurodominos
https://www.tiktok.com/@desireebstephens
https://www.tiktok.com/@calmdownace
https://www.tiktok.com/@sagittariasss
https://www.tiktok.com/@memahouse_
https://www.tiktok.com/@audhdalien
https://www.tiktok.com/@josephakibler
https://www.tiktok.com/@autisticintj
https://www.tiktok.com/@sicksadspoonie
https://www.tiktok.com/@newblackmagik
https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisnikole
https://www.tiktok.com/@charityekezie
https://www.tiktok.com/@zulekhawilliams
https://www.tiktok.com/@medieval_farm_boy
https://www.tiktok.com/@reuniting_elliott
https://www.tiktok.com/@averagemillenial18
https://www.tiktok.com/@catieosaurus
https://www.tiktok.com/@etherealdeen
https://www.tiktok.com/@alyssanicole4reelz
https://www.tiktok.com/@autisticsunmasked
https://www.tiktok.com/@audhd101
https://www.tiktok.com/@rainbowcolouredcosmos
https://www.tiktok.com/@_chaosgarden2
https://www.tiktok.com/@darksideofautismreturns
https://www.tiktok.com/@nigh.functioning.autism
Here are some tags to find people:
actuallyautistic
neurodivergenthypehouse
audhd
autizzy (only for use by Black Autistics)
