SJ Longthorne

If there was any doubt that representation is important, I’ve replayed a mission in #outerworlds three times now because of how validating it felt to hear Parvati vocalise experiences that I intensely identify with — experiences people so rarely talk about.

As soon as she started talking about it I was itching for an option to say OMG SAME THAT’S ME OMG and then... there it was! Never has a choice felt so, so good to me.

Seeing yourself in art is important.

One of my favorite indie games, To The Moon, has a character with Asperger's, and Laura Shigihara's Everything's Alright expanded upon that character's feelings. And, as an Aspie, I cannot tell you how amazing it was to see a wonderful character who had what I have.

I was still young when To The Moon came out (was I 12? 14?) and thus I didn't have the funds to purchase it at the time, but I saw Markiplier play it. And, being that young, I still thought that what I had was weird, "atypical."

But just seeing a character with Asperger's, even if she wasn't even a playable character, was so flipping great. It told me that who cares if it's weird? We're still capable of love, we're still capable of feelings; it's just a bit hard to articulate them sometimes.