I think you're being a bit harsh on NT's here - and that's one of binary thinking problems with identity politics - it creates great swathes of 'us' and 'them' - I don't think there's a great cabal of NTs because I don't really think they (if they as a homogeny exist) have a plan for anything.

Human beings struggle with difference on a psychological level, but when given the right tools are able to overcome it and/or mitigate against it. Last week I went and taught a creative writing workshop in an after school club for kids with autism - I don't hate them, one of them tried to attack me because I was wearing a flowery patterned item of clothing and the school hadn't briefed me properly. That place was full of love, understanding, and compassion - those children were incapable of being in mainstream education for a variety of reasons and so the work was adapted round them. I suspect, based on your story you might've been included at the 'top' end of that class - and by 'top' I mean writing ability. Some of the work was genius.

I'm not quite as down on the NTs as you are (maybe because I am one - I haven't really thought about it). I am also aware that I live in the UK where we tend to be slightly more societally compassionate and less capitalist driven and I suspect this may be creating the gulf between our positions. Things sound much worse over there than they do here.

I don't think 'self-identification' can ever be the answer because self-identification creates meaninglessness, see the absolute shit show 'gender' has become. There are genders based on what sort of animal you feel yourself being - this isn't helpful. I think there will have to be some diagnostic criteria but that better legal and social frameworks need to be put into place to resolve some of the exacerbating issues. The Human Rights Act (1997), the Equality Act (2010), The Care Act (2014) and the Mental Health Act (1983) all go some way to mitigating distress here in the UK, but it's not enough. If we're going to legislate, then we have to find the right words, the right diagnostic criteria and the right human-centred solutions. That's hard and slower than either of us would like - but it'll create less of a mess than an identity bun-fight with additional youtube monetisation.

Linking a piece didn't tag me, I only get a tag if you put the @ followed by my name. Then I'll go green on your work and get a notification. It's possible that other people might be notified when their pieces are used but I've got almost every notification switched off for my general sanity. :o)