Most people believe in kindness, fairness, and inclusion of people who are different. Assume that this person does too, and just got a little mixed up about how to go about this. [1] X Research source

“Special interests are actually good for an autistic person. If you punish them for having passions, you’ll probably do more harm than good. " “Bad parenting doesn’t cause autism. Both my dads are amazing parents, and they’re a big reason why I turned out so well. " “You may not realize this, but autism isn’t actually linked to mass violence. Autistic people are less violent than the general population. " “My daughter’s stimming is important for her ability to focus. She needs to be able to rock back and forth and fidget in class. It may look odd, but it helps her learn, and it’s important for her. "

“I know it can be so hard to find good information about autism. People say all kinds of things, and it can be difficult to sort out the right things from the wrong ones. " “TV shows portray autistic people as childlike geniuses or jerks. That can make it harder to understand autism, especially if you haven’t met many autistic people. " “Your kid was just diagnosed last month, right? Of course you’re worried and confused. The media treats autism like a death sentence, and that’s scary. " “The media blames all kinds of things on autism. It can be hard to pick out the truth, especially when they frame unfounded opinions as fact. That’s confusing to anyone. "

“Seriously?” “Wow. " “Okay then. " (followed by a subject change) “No. "

If your friends want to fight the troll, encourage them to freeze the troll out instead. Some websites are very lax about bullying and bigotry, and may do nothing. This isn’t your fault. You did the best you could.

If they ask why, be honest about how their behavior impacts the relationship:[4] X Research source “I’ve asked you more than once to stop making mean comments about autistic people, and yet you still do it. I don’t know why you do this. It makes me not want to spend time with you anymore. "

Talk to a good listener. Write in a journal. Set aside time to think it over. Write a letter with everything you wish you could say. Then rip it up and throw it away. Ask a mentor how to handle any overwhelming feelings.

The Autistic community online can be a great source of support.