--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In fact, when we as neuro-typical people…" description: "\"In fact, when we as neuro-typical people encounter a person with autism spectrum syndrome who's always been that way it is that we have to adjust. Just..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/tamlyn-tomita-9730_autism_in-fact-when-we-as-neuro-typical-people_18698.jpg" --- # In fact, when we as neuro-typical people encounter a… ![“In fact, when we as neuro-typical people encounter a person with autism spectrum syndrome who's always been that way it is that we have to adjust. Just because we can read people with autism correctly, whatever that word is why do we always default to saying, 'Well, that kid is not normal?' What…” quote by Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/tamlyn-tomita-9730_autism_in-fact-when-we-as-neuro-typical-people_18698.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/tamlyn-tomita-9730_autism_in-fact-when-we-as-neuro-typical-people_18698.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/tamlyn-tomita-9730_autism_in-fact-when-we-as-neuro-typical-people_18698.jpg) > “In fact, when we as neuro-typical people encounter a person with autism spectrum syndrome who's always been that way it is that we have to adjust. Just because we can read people with autism correctly, whatever that word is why do we always default to saying, 'Well, that kid is not normal?' What is normal?” [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote challenges the default assumption of 'normalcy' by urging us to recognize that neurotypical people must adapt to autistic individuals, not the other way around. **In simple terms:** Normalcy is a social construct that requires adjustment. Key Takeaway We should question what we label as 'normal.' Themes neurodiversity social perception bias empathy identity Mood thoughtful challenging empathetic Type observation philosophical When to use this quote - education settings - workplace interactions - family dynamics - public policy discussions Key Concepts normalcy adjustment stereotyping inclusion Practical Applications - training programs for neurotypical staff - inclusive design guidelines Questions to Reflect On - How does labeling someone 'abnormal' affect their self‑esteem? - What steps can we take to make environments more accommodating? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [“One of the most important truths about autism is that if you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-bedard/one-of-the-most-important-truths-about-autism-is-that-if-you-have-met/) [Stephen J. Bedard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-bedard/) > [It is never too late to expand the mind of a person on the autism spectrum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/it-is-never-too-late-to-expand-the-mind-of-a-person-on-the-autism/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [In the person with autism, the brain may already be seeing the part and be less distracted by the whole, and in the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/in-the-person-with-autism-the-brain-may-already-be-seeing-the-part/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [If you start using a medication in a person with autism, you should see an obvious improvement in behavior in a short period of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/if-you-start-using-a-medication-in-a-person-with-autism-you-should/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-shore/if-you-ve-met-one-person-with-autism-you-ve-met-one-person-with-autism/) [Stephen Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-shore/) > [“Not Speaking has no reflection on what is being thought on the inside, being a non-verbal person with Autism in my early years I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-isaacs/not-speaking-has-no-reflection-on-what-is-being-thought-on-the-inside/) [Paul Isaacs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-isaacs/) > [A person with autism lives in his own world, while a person with Asperger's lives in our world, in a way of his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/a-person-with-autism-lives-in-his-own-world-while-a-person-with/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Whom a person in the autism community is friends with is very important. Alliances are forged against people who have certain friends, and these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/whom-a-person-in-the-autism-community-is-friends-with-is-very/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [I can explain how a person with autism thinks. I am very, very interested in how people think. It's been a gradual process of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-can-explain-how-a-person-with-autism-thinks-i-am-very-very/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I was like any other kid: very normal, I can say. I just was a simple kid that came from a humble family and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cotto/i-was-like-any-other-kid-very-normal-i-can-say-i-just-was-a-simple/) [Miguel Cotto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cotto/) > [“Right. Because he seemed like such a normal kid. And he is a normal kid, he is just what you'd expect a baseline male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/right-because-he-seemed-like-such-a-normal-kid-and-he-is-a-normal-kid/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“Musk sits somewhere on the autism spectrum and that he has trouble considering other people’s emotions and caring about their well-being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-sits-somewhere-on-the-autism-spectrum-and-that-he-has-trouble/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [I have Asperger's, I'm on the autism spectrum, so I don't really care about social codes. It makes you think differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/i-have-asperger-s-i-m-on-the-autism-spectrum-so-i-don-t-really-care/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [With the incredible rate of growth of autism diagnoses in New Jersey, it is critical that we support the research, education, and access to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikie-sherrill/with-the-incredible-rate-of-growth-of-autism-diagnoses-in-new-jersey/) [Mikie Sherrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikie-sherrill/) > [“Be that as it may, some of those that would no longer be diagnosed “autistic” today were diagnosed on the autism spectrum and accepted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/be-that-as-it-may-some-of-those-that-would-no-longer-be-diagnosed/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) ## More by Tamlyn Tomita > [I didn't want to be trapped in an idea of replicating other 'Star Trek' characters; especially Vulcans. But my love and I have Spock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/i-didn-t-want-to-be-trapped-in-an-idea-of-replicating-other-star-trek/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [I'm much too egotistical to move outside the acting realm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/i-m-much-too-egotistical-to-move-outside-the-acting-realm/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [So if they happen to be over the age of 35 and they're male? 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Keep your eyes open. Keep your ears open and keep your heart open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/i-just-tell-young-people-to-find-their-way-keep-your-eyes-open-keep/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [We know that there were so many Japanese American soldiers in World War II who were fighting in Europe despite the fact that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/we-know-that-there-were-so-many-japanese-american-soldiers-in-world/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [Twitter vs Instagram is a left brain versus right brain kind of social media device. Twitter is for speaking, whereas Instagram is for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/twitter-vs-instagram-is-a-left-brain-versus-right-brain-kind-of/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [You can't escape 'Star Trek' influence, especially characters you literally grew up with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/you-can-t-escape-star-trek-influence-especially-characters-you/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [But I'm proud to come from a family of Republicans and, yes, we have some spirited discussions in our family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/but-i-m-proud-to-come-from-a-family-of-republicans-and-yes-we-have/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [The fact is that we wouldn't have found out about Manzanar except in our story-telling because it was really never told in the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/the-fact-is-that-we-wouldn-t-have-found-out-about-manzanar-except-in/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [I'd like to connect with fans because there are people who have really connected and they deserve a shoutout, they deserve a thank you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/i-d-like-to-connect-with-fans-because-there-are-people-who-have/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) [Explore all 70 Tamlyn Tomita quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) ## More Autism quotes > [“We know that children with autism like order, that they are often very visual and that they can be quite literal. They deserve beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-devine/we-know-that-children-with-autism-like-order-that-they-are-often-very/) [Adele Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-devine/) > [If you give us a safe vaccine, we'll use it. It shouldn't be polio versus autism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/if-you-give-us-a-safe-vaccine-we-ll-use-it-it-shouldn-t-be-polio/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [Autism is a big continuum, going from someone who remains nonverbal, all the way up to geniuses on Silicon Valley. And some kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/autism-is-a-big-continuum-going-from-someone-who-remains-nonverbal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Metaphor isn't just a fancy turn of speech. It shapes our thoughts and feelings, reaches out to grasp new experience, and even binds our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/metaphor-isn-t-just-a-fancy-turn-of-speech-it-shapes-our-thoughts-and/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > [The position of Autism Speaks has been for quite awhile that we need to find out what's happening. We know there's a genetic component,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-emken/the-position-of-autism-speaks-has-been-for-quite-awhile-that-we-need/) [Elizabeth Emken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-emken/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not-what-to-think/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. If you have severe autism, you could remain nonverbal. You don't want people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/mild-autism-can-give-you-a-genius-like-einstein-if-you-have-severe/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [“The autistic mind is not the wave at the surface of the ocean, but the whole world that exists below.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krissy-bells/the-autistic-mind-is-not-the-wave-at-the-surface-of-the-ocean-but-the/) Krissy Bells > [In the person with autism, the brain may already be seeing the part and be less distracted by the whole, and in the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/in-the-person-with-autism-the-brain-may-already-be-seeing-the-part/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [I think that the definition of autism is too broad. You got to remember, autism definition is a behavioral profiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-think-that-the-definition-of-autism-is-too-broad-you-got-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [There is a small segment of people with autism that have savant skills, where they can memorize entire maps of whole entire city. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-is-a-small-segment-of-people-with-autism-that-have-savant/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [When you have autism or aspergers, it's so hard to get a social life but trust me, in the end everyone can achieve at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia/when-you-have-autism-or-aspergers-it-s-so-hard-to-get-a-social-life/) Lia > [“Unfortunately, by this time it didn't matter. 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