As this pandemic keeps us all in quarantine, many teens have turned to social media, especially TikTok. TikTok is a very popular platform where users can post 15-60 second videos usually for entertainment or comedy. But now some users are using it in a more informative and productive way, while still being attention-grabbing.

In the TikTok community, some users take advantage of the platform to talk about autism. Autism awareness is very important. Mental disabilities are greatly misunderstood, and we need to bring awareness and acceptance. As a person with autism, awareness is important for me to feel understood and accepted; so, here are some of my favorite TikTokers who bring awareness and acceptance. These aren’t in any particular order.

Paige Layle- @paigelayle on TikTok started getting attention on her TikToks around 2 months ago. She talks about what autism in girls looks like compared to boys, which is commonly misunderstood.  She also talks about important things like masking, which is when we (autistic people) put on a “mask” to suppress our neurodivergent traits. We try to act “normal” to fit in and feel accepted. This is a link to her account.

Chloe Hayden- @princessaspien on TikTok talks about autism in boys, but also what you should and shouldn’t say to people with autism. She talks about how there is no “look” to autism, and that saying, “you don’t look autistic” is not a compliment. This is a link to her account.

Lindsey Ringeling- @linzrinzz talks about the struggles of burnout from masking for years. She also talks about other things like our preference for red representing the autistic community instead of blue, symbolizing that girls can have autism too. Her TikToks have even taught me things even as an autistic person, and as I was recently diagnosed, it helped make sense of things. This is a link to her account.

All of these TikToks and so many more have made me feel a part of a community, and I am. I have never felt so at home and accepted before and it was TikToks like these that inspired me to accept myself and be open about my disability.