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Community Guidelines

These keep our spaces safe for everyone — parents and autistic adults alike. They are strict on purpose, and we enforce them.

By taking part in any community space you agree to these guidelines. Some violations — misinformation, hate, and privacy breaches — can lead to immediate removal or a permanent ban, without warning.

How we treat each other

  • Be kind and assume good faith. Most people here are tired, worried, and doing their best.
  • Disagree respectfully. Attack ideas, not people. No name-calling, sarcasm aimed at a person, or pile-ons.
  • This space is for parents AND autistic adults to talk with each other. Autistic adults are members and guides — on what being autistic is actually like, defer to autistic people.
  • No ableism, ever. No slurs (including the “r-word”), no mocking stimming or special interests, no dehumanizing language.
  • No bullying, harassment, or targeting individuals — here or by following them elsewhere.

Health, safety, and misinformation

  • No medical misinformation. No anti-vaccine content. No “cures,” chelation, MMS/“miracle mineral,” bleach, detoxes, or other unproven or dangerous “treatments.” These are removed and can mean an immediate ban.
  • Discuss therapies honestly. Things like ABA are genuinely debated — share your experience and the evidence, include autistic perspectives, and never use fear or claim a child has “no hope” without a particular therapy.
  • Don’t pose as a professional. Share lived experience, not medical, legal, or diagnostic advice — and point people to qualified help.
  • In a crisis, contact emergency services. In the US, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). This community is not a crisis service.

Language and respect

  • Both identity-first (“autistic person”) and person-first (“person with autism”) language are welcome. Use your own preference and respect others’ — don’t correct or shame anyone’s choice for themselves.
  • No “high/low-functioning” labels. Talk about support needs instead. All support levels (1, 2, and 3) belong here.
  • Never frame an autistic person — or your child — as a burden, a tragedy, or something to be fixed.

Privacy — this matters a lot here

  • Protect children’s privacy above all else. Never post a child’s full name, school, location, photos, or a combination of details that could identify them — including your own child.
  • Don’t share other members’ personal information, or repost their words or screenshots outside this community.
  • You can take part anonymously. Share only what you choose to.

A community, not a marketplace

  • No spam, advertising, self-promotion, affiliate links, MLM, or fundraising without explicit moderator permission.
  • No recruiting for studies, products, providers, or treatments.

Moderation and consequences

  • Moderators enforce these guidelines and err on the side of safety.
  • Misinformation, hate, and privacy violations may be removed without warning and can lead to an immediate, permanent ban.
  • For most other issues: a warning, then a temporary suspension, then removal.
  • Please report anything that breaks the rules. Moderator decisions are final, though you may appeal.