02/02/2026
Love how she describes this and reframes what has been defined as “inflexible”.
Supernatural actor Kim Rhodes reframed the autistic “inflexible thinking” myth.
For a long time, Kim didn’t recognise herself in common autism narratives. Especially the idea that autistic people are rigid or inflexible thinkers.
Her brain didn’t feel rigid. It felt curious, fast, and wide-ranging.
One day a violin, the next a sewing machine. If anything, it felt too flexible. (AuDHD folks know this one 😆)
What finally helped wasn’t trying to force herself into a stereotype - it was redefining what “inflexible thinking” actually means when you’re autistic.
Kim describes her mind as a map. A series of routes made up of thoughts that feel known and safe.
Each one exists for a reason. Each one has been tested.
Outside of those routes, there’s a warning sign: here there be dragons.
When someone introduces a brand new idea and expects instant agreement or adaptation, her logical brain might understand it. But her nervous system doesn’t.
The response isn’t stubbornness - it’s alarm. A primal “this isn’t safe yet” reaction.
Autistic pushback isn’t about refusing to change. It’s about needing time to make something safe first.
Give her time, and she’ll come back. She’ll add new dots to the map. New routes. New flexibility.
But asking for immediate adjustment is asking her nervous system to ignore danger signals it’s spent a lifetime building.
