I’ll be honest, I was initially diagnosed with Aspergers and didn’t truly grow out of the mentality until I graduated from high school. It wasn’t until I learned the root of it that I really reflected on the damage it caused both other people and myself. I was mean to the people who I fit in with more when I was in high school because I prioritized being part of the main social ladder so much, and it was a really big mistake.
As upset as I am with myself over it, I also understand that this used to be a greater structural issue that started whenever people were diagnosed. I was a kid and grew out of it by the time I was an adult, so I can’t judge myself too harshly. But I can stand loudly against the conditions that made me side with neurotypical people who abused me over neurodivergent people who didn’t hate themselves as much as I did.