08/29/2025
Let’s get one thing straight, when we say “autistic people have a strong sense of justice,”
it means sticking to firm beliefs about what is right and wrong, no matter the situation. That’s it. That’s all it means.
The scene in the photo depicts what most of us would call “vindictive” behavior.
But from the perspective of the autistic character I’m playing…
intentionally dumping my classmate’s markers onto the floor is justice being served.
As the story goes, my “classmate” left his toys out, causing me to trip…which messed up the jumping jacks that I was actively attempting to demonstrate.
So naturally, since HE left out the toys,
(which messed me up)…I have to do something to mess him up in return.
In terms of autistic people having a “strong sense of justice”, for many, there’s almost no room for flexibility, nuance, or context — it’s about following the rule exactly as it is understood, even if it causes problems.
So here’s a general framework for how to help folks in these types of scenarios:
▪️Both/And Thinking
Example: “Yes, cleaning up is important and sometimes people make mistakes when they don’t mean to.”
▪️Perspective taking
Instead of “he left his toys out on purpose”…maybe, “he meant to clean up, but got distracted by something else and then forgot”
▪️Model Flexible Language
There are “must/always/never” rules
and there are also “sometimes/often/usually.” rules.
SOMETIMES, mistakes happen.
In conclusion, rules matter deeply to many autistic people.
For those in a support role, show how rules can bend, shift, or make room for compassion.
If we can build skills like perspective-taking, and flexible language,
we can learn to navigate rules in ways that work better for everyone.
