Questionable Autism Merchandise 

About the "autism mum" thing, it makes so much sense what she's saying because you wouldn't call yourself a "disabled parent" if you have a disabled kid, only if you were disabled, and you wouldn't call yourself a "gay parent" if you had a gay kid, only if you yourself were gay.

I hate how so many parents of autistic kids have this "I'm such a good person for literally taking care of my child" mentality, like I'm sure it's hard to raise a kid, neurotypical or not, but you are not a hero for taking care of your child, that's what parents should do.

"there should be a trigger warning for how bad these are" -Chloe 2021

The shirts designed for kids are literally just for moms who are embarrassed and want to yell out, “don’t blame me for the fact that my child is in a stressful and/or overwhelming situation that I put them in and is now having a meltdown!!” I know some people probably do have good INTENTIONS and think they’re “teaching others not to judge” or whatever, but no. You just don’t want people to think you’re a bad parent or whatever. Get over your shit 🤦🏻‍♀️

Wipe out autism? That would be a near impossible eugenics program, humans on this planet are too closely related to each other. I agree several of those shirts are a new version of the kick me sign. I love your Channel Chloe, I appreciate all I learn from you.

I have Cerebral Palsy and I'm in the process of designing my own disability shirts. What the hell is this ableist crap??

Oh man as a Christian also, that first one is enraging to me. The whole “society says I’m X, God says I’m Y” is like pretty exclusively used to refer to something shallow or sinful (for example ‘society says I’m ugly, God says I’m perfect’ or ‘society says I’m messed up , God says I’m saved’) which in itself is whatever, but when you put ‘autistic’ in that X spot, it’s heavily implying that autism is just some worldly made up label that we don’t need, or worse, that it’s a sin. Ughghhhh.

For the longest time, I thought “autism mum” meant an Autistic person who is a mum. It was a disappointing time when I realised what it really meant. Honestly, I want to hear more from Autistic mothers in case I ever decide to be a mother myself. That’s not something I’m necessarily planning. I mean, I’m terrified of the idea because I can barely function to keep on top of things just for myself. I’m scared of how sensory issues would affect pregnancy and how I act (will it negatively affect the child?). There’s so many things. So hearing from Autistic mums would bring comfort. I know everyone is different, no 2 experiences are the same....but we will be able to relate to each other on some level, with some things, where Neurotypical people wouldn’t relate.

Chloé going after comic sans is everything👏👌

One thing that I noticed that all of those shirts had in common (besides the vaccine one) is an abundance of puzzle pieces. I was diagnosed earlier this year and was looking for something to buy and was getting distressed by how much of the merch was puzzle piece and/or light it up blue. I did manage to find a hoodie that said acceptance is the cure with a rainbow infinity sign and #redinstead written on it.

14:00 oof. a woman ranted to me in a grocery store that vaccines stole her son and ruined her life. she would definitely force him to wear this if she ever saw it online 🤢

If anyone is wondering, Yes, "they're a brat" or "they need a spanking" actually is what many people are thinking. I can tell from people's faces when they look at my disabled brother (who many people think is autistic) that they loathe him and us and think my mom must be a bad parent when he has a meltdown. P.S. Is it bad that I am autistic and want that vaccine shirt? X'D X'D X'D X'D X'D I have the most twisted sense of humor, sorry ^^

Its pretty ironic how belittled this type of "awareness" can make us feel. It just reads like a confirmation of our inferiority... get it right...

It was really nice meeting you the other day and I'm asking my mom to get me a beauty in neurodiversity shirt for Christmas!

Hey Chloé, I'm autistic and I have a t-shirt with a bird on it that says 'i get flappy when I'm happy'. What do you think?

Someone should make a shirt that says “Autism Speaks? More Like Ableism Shut Up Amirite?”

your positivity is so infectious. watching your videos make me feel so much more comfortable with being autistic. just seeing you embrace it is so inspirational :,,)

I recently bought a shirt with a matching pin on Redbubble that says “I’m not your (neuro)typical girl.” I can’t wait for them to arrive! 😆 I love your videos! You’re so sweet and inspiring!❤️🌼

The "this is what autism looks like" t-shirt is pretty fun to wear if you're over 50

I LOVE YOUR DINOSAUR EARRINGS!

Totally off the topic and might sound weird but I like how we can see the laundry hanging outside your window, it gives me the cozy homey feel haha

The dinosaur earrings are cute as heck!

My son is almost 5 and I don't think I'd consider t-shirts at all at this age... maybe when he's older he can choose for himself :) I likely have ADHD (not diagnosed but pretty darn sure lol) and have been made to feel like something is wrong with me. I don't want that to happen to him *as much as possible* (can't control what the rest of the world does)

DINO EARRINGS??? I LOVD THOSE

THE DABBING BEAR SHIRT MADE ME SCREECH

That make autism go away thing just made me think of eugenics, maby its just my historian brain going into overdrive but yeah!

New to the channel and as someone who is not Neuro typical I appreciate that she isn't looking at the camera. It makes he seem more comfortable and like I'm watching one of my friends rant about something they care about. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

The fact that there are puzzle pieces on many of these sure explains their ableist messages... Ugh.

You should make a video about selective mutism

I have written and published books before and things like that and have had my mom tell me it's so inspirational and it's so amazing because I am autistic, because I wasn't supposed to be able to talk, but because my mom worked with me I was able to accomplish that. Like can't you be proud of the amazing things I do regardless of whether or not I "Defied" expectations of what Autism looks like?

I appreciate you calling out the first shirt. I'm going through an experience of people making fun of my disabilities and patronizing me while simultaneously love bombing me. It feels a lot like that shirt,. Overwhelming, like I should be grateful but I'm instead really uncomfortable and emotionally fatigued.

When I have children and they get starred at for anything 'embarrassing' I start to flap and wave my arms with the bear shirt on yelling: nothing is happening over there, watch me, I'm autistic and I'm here.

I love your outfit in this video. I thought the shirt was just a butterfly shirt at first which butterflies is one of my special interest. Dinosaurs is another one for me. Like Everything in this outfit is a thing I love. It’s awesome and I love your content.

I am watching this video wondering why my fixated topic of dinosaurs from when I was 8 suddenly entered my brain, and then I noticed the ear rings. I love them, they are gorgeous.

No puzzles 🧩 please

My mother had me diagnosed or had me tested even though there was obvious signs of it. She liked to make sure the whole family made me wear the t-shirt; but made me out to be batshit crazy!! I am 50 and only now going for an autistic test.

Thank you for this. When you mentioned the one shirt that says this is what Autism looks like and kick me sign, I DID actually have a kick me sign on my back when I was in 4th grade. It definitely happens. It's not fun. I've seen a lot of these shirts and roll my eyes.

Unfortunately there ARE adults out there who will see children they don't know in public, behaving in a way they don't deem "acceptable", and think "that child needs a spanking". In fact, there are even adults like that who will TELL the parent of the child "sounds like someone needs a spanking". It's absolutely horrendous that any parent or adult would think a child should be hit or spanked at all. Your child is going to become terrified of you, terrified of being themselves, terrified of telling you their feelings, your child is not going to trust you as much, and they're going to be terrified of a human so much bigger than them. Is that really a healthy parent child relationship of love and trust? You're also teaching them that you hit them (without their consent) because you love them and want them to be the best they can be. And guess what, they'll still keep that lesson in mind for their future abusive romantic relationships. And they will believe that their abusive romantic partner hits them without consent because he loves them and wants them to be the best they can be.

Totally off topic but i love your hair in this video super cute

Oop did i just loose a chunk of my followers for saying that.... honestly hun, if you lost followers for that you don’t want those kind of people as followers anyway 😘😘🥰🥰 You’re so awesome

Wrt to the “you need a spanking” comment….as a person from the Deep South, you’d be surprised 😬 I worked at a pool for the past few summers and I had multiple (usually older) people tell me, as they watched the kids there acting crazy, that they needed a spanking (or sometimes “a good whuppin’”). And yes, I agree that they need therapy 🙄

NOT ME GETTING AN AD UNDER THE VIDEO FOR ABA THERAPY

I'm one of those who read at an advanced level before I got to school. If I'd been diagnosed back in the day, and those shirts existed I can absolutely see wearing one of the horrible shirts and knowing what it says and feeling it's horrible... But, as an appeasing masking little bunny I would have suffered and felt stupid and felt I was overreacting. Soooooo... Guess folks are just kind of latching onto the physical world sensitivity issues--- but somehow, we're not sensitive to patronizing, dehumanizing condescending crud like this?!? I don't know where it crept into NT brains that we are oblivious.

Maaaaan...😐 idek what to say. I see that puzzle piece and it takes me right back to when I was in school and they put me in with kids that were truly handicapped; having me recite basic patterns n such. It was like I was in preschool again. Its definitely triggering. It disturbs me that autism is so misunderstood.

Those shirts were awful, but really 90% of all message shirts are cringy, embarrassing and lame, regardless of the topic, from KISS ME, I'M POLISH to LEXICOGRAPHERS HAVE BIG DICTIONARIES. They all seem to bear the message: LOOK AT ME, I'M A JERK IN AN UGLY T-SHIRT THAT FAILS MISERABLY AT BEING CLEVER. I'd like to see a video where you show shirts with actually valid messages about autism... I mean there's got to be a few.

From a graphic design standpoint, I think that these shirts are designed by the parents themselves and printed at local print shops. There is no graphic designer that would design this garbage. Most of these fonts are actively derided in online graphic design communities, the designs themselves are atrocious and follow no rules of graphic design.

The amount of infantilization that comes from these shirts and “autism moms” shocks me every time even when I think I’ve prepared myself.

Even the world is raging with you. Natural support at it's finest :D I know there is a seriousness to this video, but heck was I in stitches watching this. The t-shirts were BEYOND bad, they were so bad they're satire. The Trump line had me falling out of my seat. Thank you for making such a fun video out of a dark topic, and for providing amazing education without making it feel overwhelming.

I am with you on almost all these shirts. Depending on where in the spectrum of autism one's child is, at times in your life that is all you are an Autism Mom. I have at times in my life without the "autism " in front been only a "MoM" what ever falls under the Umbrella of a MOTHER/MOM for 24 hours, 7 days a week and ever single day of the month and years because I have to be the main/only caregiver for my children. I know that when children are diagnosed early in life parents get help. I have never gotten any. The more I learn about Austim, I think that I am an Autism Mom like, I have Autism.

Hi Chlo'e I just Discovered your wonderful RU-vid channel & was watching it with my 13 year old German Shepherd Fur Daughter & she is loving your voice & you so Stunning Chlo'e. 💖🐶🐕🐺😍😇💖

Goodness, gracious me! What a cringefest, mate! If I were autistic (which I suspect I am), I'd rather wear the shirt of my favourite band instead (yup, I'm a metalhead), and I'll make sure my future children (who might probably inherit my alleged autism) would dress like the neurotypical kids. It's not masking; it's just using common sense. I appreciate what you do, Chloé. You gained another subscriber. :)

I have a t-shirt that says "My brain has too many tabs open"

Sweet Jesus these are things that exist! Just,.... WOW

I have so many issues about parents who act like thier child's diagnosis is something for them to disclose on the internet/on a t-shirt. Each of us deserves as much autonomy as possible.

The irony of it being a cat in the last one is palpable.

I pick up on these things too in things some people say (like on the disney shirt/ after finding i was autistic (age)44 ) i thought autistic people couldnt get this so started to doubt i was caused confusion - must be another MYTH- So glad you are honest and yourself TY

design-wise, the "wipe out" shirt doesn't make sense. Maybe more like "wave away", but I guess that doesn't sound "drastic" enough... Those shirts and stuff all are aweful! I totally agree with you and your points!

The "I am not a brat or spoiled and I don't need a spanking, I have autism" shirt makes me cringe big time. For one thing, being bratty/spoiled and being autistic are unrelated traits, with the former (bratty/spoiled) being a trait related to parenting, and the kid in said shirt may possibly be legitimately bratty (since parents bad enough to select that shirt would raise the kid poorly) and the false association between the two traits will ruin the reputation of other autistic people along with the wearer since the shirt blames autism for bratty and spoiled behavior, and for another thing, spanking is a bad parenting method regardless of what the kid is like. TL/DR, crappy shirt, selected by crappy parents, associates two unrelated traits and makes autistic kids look bad, while also suggesting a crappy parenting method.

Im so tempted to like steal a I love someone with autism shirt (cause don’t support autism speaks) I saw at the store once and fabric marker myself under it think I’d be funny

I really appreciate you covering this, cheers for the share!

Thank you for meeting me the other day I really enjoyed our chat I still need to get your merch it’s so cute !

My neuronormal mums most common line "there's definitely something wrong with you, you definitely have some mental disorder"

It’s the fact that the people who made these t-shirts didn’t even try to hide their ableism for me

I like how you say butterflies in the intro. In Alaskan native culture if you are not a member of a clan or an outsider you are called a butterfly.

I saw one that said "be patient with me i have owotism" when trying to find some merch with furry stuff on it 😭😂

I am a 41 year old Nuerodivergent and probably autistic mom (diagnosed adhd at 16 but trying to find an autism diagnosis as I have only recently understood females on the spectrum)……anyway I love your videos and I apologize I am not a big commenter……but I had to comment because 1. I wish I was able to be diagnosed at your age…..but really because I AM OBSESSED with your earrings and am far more jealous of them.…I also agree so much with you and am so proud of all the wonderfully creative and brave young girls creating content that is so helpful….even for people old enough to be your mom. You are an inspiration for anyone who faces any kind of difficulty, which all humans will at some time for some reason, and demonstrate how to be successful because of and despite of that which could be a roadblock. I hope that made some kind of sense….I really want dinosaur earrings and I am far too old….but maybe not at home!

11:39 "I've seen you in the wild before" 🤣

i absolutely love your laugh , its so infectious! i love ittt

I kinda want that bears dabbing t-shirt. Ironically of course. It's so funny

I have a "This is what autism looks like" shirt, but there is written only that, and I have chosen to get it myself as an adult. For a child it is really cringe

When I discovered my Neurodiversity, I finally felt validated. I got a hoodie that says Neurodiverse, and a t-shirt that says 'we can't all be neurotypical Karen' did I buy my own kick me sign? I was going to get an infinity tattoo, but have now decided to wait. My intention to point at in times of need, but now concerned outing myself may be dangerous. I am not ashamed of being neurodivergent, but in a closed minded society, there's a good reason I've masked for decades, not knowing I was neurodivergent. 😪

That red hat actually pisses me off severely 😠 wtf?! these people making these shirts need to get a clue.

God had fun making us autistic i love the fact that i found a Christian autistic RU-vidr, THANK YOU for talking

I just wanna say I love the outfit you are wearing!!!!

uhm if one of my parents would ever have worn one of these shirts or put me into anything like that i think i would‘ve put myself up for adoption

I love your earrings so much 🦕🦕

The fact that all the puzzle piece t-shirts are in primary colours is so infantilizing too, somehow

LOVE your ear ring!! 😍🦕

Sorry not related to this vid but I was so excited to see your ad just then when I was listening to music!!! 💛💛💛

I dunno, the “proof vaccines cause autism” shirt seems like it would be very funny to wear. (Said as an autistic adult, considering one for me cause seems ridiculous … though hate text on shirts so probably not)

You made some really awesome points about the designs you pointed out! And you were pretty spot on with what you said. As for the font..... It's a bit of a typography thing. And takes into account the way our eyes look at things and in what order, though it's not been done very well here. And I think, to mimic meams. But you're totally right! There's no need for so many different fonts, and it's not aesthetically pleasing.... Never mind the erm... Messages???! I think some of the messages probably relate more to NT parents experiences and struggles with other people's behaviour and actions, and I get the frustration, but it's really not cool to make your kid a walking billboard for your frustrations.

Your Dinosaur earrings are super cool, and very cute

Kinda random but your outfit was super cute in this video!

Loving the earrings

I love your outfit today I want it so much

Yay I got the first comment! Love you Chloe! You are such a good role model!

Hey Chloe, may I ask what your opinion on the Infinity Rainbow is like? I agree with you 1000% on the puzzle piece. I went to check your store to see if you had any shirts with the IR symbol, but didn't see any.

Do you have a bad habit of biting nails because I do and it hurts me I get so angry at myself 😢

Good video. Continue on your road on getting the silver play button along with interviewing with Chris ULMER of SBSK

I love your shirt in this video, Chloe! Where can I get one?

I have the Dab one, i refuse to use, i want to throw on the trash but my brother gave to me

anyone else just wanting to fetch that washing in out of the rain ?

but I believe the "perfect" t-shirt is not saying autistic people are superior and perfect. People usually say this in a way of compliment, it's not about having any flaws, but saying there's nothing wrong with you, you don't need to be "fixed", you are a complete human being

I'm an Autism mom because my son and I were both diagnosed and I still wouldn't wear that dabbing bears shirt 😂🤦‍♀️

That first one just reminds me of what must have happened when the Gods made me! Lol Odin: I will give this man a righteous and noble soul. He was strive to do what’s right and live in devotion to the Aesir and Our law. Hoenir: I will give this man a creative and inquisitive mind. He will have an ear for music, a love of story telling, and desire to know the deepest truths of the cosmos. Lodurr: *stumbles in drunk* Imma give him a shit ton of hair! Like…take a monkey n just put it on him! Robin Williams ain’t got shit on this guy! Hoenir: Uh…brother, I think you’re forgetting his brain. Lodurr: Oh, fuck! You’re right! Let’s see here…*rummages around in pockets* Here we go! Little brainy box! Boop! Odin: Uh…Lodurr? What is that? Lodurr: Issa brain! Odin: It doesn’t have olfactory bulbs. And the cerebellums kinda messed up. And it doesn’t processes serotonin correctly. And it’s held together with paper clips and string. Lodurr: Yep, sound good to me! *sends my soul up to Midgard* Odin: Well, this is going to be interesting. Lodurr…I think it’s time for an intervention!

If I were autistic I would probably wear that green vaccine shirt and the red hat everywhere and confuse the heck out of everyone 😂. Now I want to go and find myself some ADHD variants.

These shirts get a Big Yikes from me. I love your dino earrings, Chloe! Your shirt is lovely, too.

As an adult, I would totally wear the “ask my mom” shirt ironically. I’m 23, you’re not actually gonna ask my mom. But for a kid to wear it in a serious context is pretty sketchy.

i honestly really want the dabbing bear shirt, that is ironic comedy gold lmaoooo edit: OMG THE WIPE OUT AUTISM ONE I WANT IT (obviously without supporting whoever made it lol)

I don't like how most autism related products or sensory products are so bold and just not sensory friendly. I've noticed it with more than these shirts; like stress balls and just products that are marketed towards autistics. It's not cool. Colours are fun and all, but man can you just keep it muted and calm for once?