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LC Sharkey (they/them)'s avatar

This all resonates so deeply for me. I used to work in the corporate world, in IT. I worked 60-80 hours a week, in a highly stressful environment. 14 years ago, I got sick and have been chronically ill ever since. In retrospect, it is obvious to me that what happened was not uncommon for AFAB late-diagnosed Autistics. I crashed and burned, and was unable to work at all for several years. Since then, I haven't worked more than 20 hrs a week, and mostly, less than that.

At the time I crashed, I was undiagnosed. I didn't know I was Autistic, and had no idea why it was so hard for me to "fit in." I never liked any of my jobs, and I never felt respected or valued at any of them, except for one boss who took me under her wing. Even then, the environment was brutal. I know I'm not alone in this; I don't think I know anyone who works in a corporate environment who feels comfortable there. Our cultural aditude about what is expected and condoned in most work environments is not conducive to well-being, especially for workers who are already marginalized in society.

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