Johnny Profane Âû

Johnny Profane Âû

@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

One Voice. Raw. Real. Fiercely Neurodivergent. Since 1953. Podcast, YouTube, Newsletter. Find Me on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/johnnyprofane1

2.6K followers1K following799 posts

Pinned

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

Reposting again for all my new #ActuallyAutistic followers from X... I predict you're gonna like it here. I'll leave the light on for ya.

Johnny Profane Âû@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

Just getting started here with my #ActuallyAutistic audience... I hit a nerve with this. Now, it mighta been the funny bone... Or it might be that monster nerve that goes up your spine and into your head and you light up like a Christmas Tree with inspiration. you tell me. #ActuallyAutistic

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

I thought everyone was a potential friend. It took me years to understand my father’s betrayal. At 73, I still live with it. A new piece from my autistic life: “Not Everyone Was My Friend.” Content note: sexual abuse. #ActuallyAustistic #MentalHealth #Psychology #Neurodivergent

autisticaf.meNot Everyone Was My Friend in My Autistic LifeI thought everyone was a potential friend. Every adult, someone to turn to for protection. It took me years to begin understanding my father’s betrayal. At 73, I still carry that sexual assault. This is part of my autistic life.

Johnny Profane Âû reposted

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

I’m autistic. Here’s what happened to us this week. A study of 2 million autistic Medicaid enrollees found life expectancy of 64.9 yrs. 13.8 yrs below U.S. average. Plus 21 more stories. johnnyprofaneknapp.substack.com/p/divergent-... #Autism #ActuallyAutistic #DisabilityRights #Neurodivergent

johnnyprofaneknapp.substack.comDivergent Times — Week of September 9–16, 2026News Briefing: One World. Divergent Minds.
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

You're not broken. The System is. You already know that. Here's one autistic life giving it words... Follow my raw journey from crushing middle-school trauma to the explosive joy of self-guided learning. The education machine missed my genius. Maybe it missed yours, too. Part 2 of a series.

autisticaf.meAutistic Me, Theo, School… and Genius, Pt 2You're not broken. The System is. You already know that. Here's one autistic life giving it words... Follow my raw journey from crushing middle-school trauma to the explosive joy of self-guided learning. The education machine missed my genius. Maybe it missed yours, too.
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

Every clock is a handgun pointed at my head... in my autistic time. Deadlines. Dread. Lost jobs. Hyperfocus. And the strange truth that time doesn’t pass for me. It feels. An autobiographical fragment from the upcoming book, Autistic Noir.

autisticaf.meEvery clock is a handgun in my autistic timeEvery clock is a handgun in my autistic time. This is my raw, late-diagnosed autistic elder’s reckoning with deadlines, dread, hyperfocus, lost jobs... and a world built around punch clocks, not feeling. You see, time doesn’t pass for me. It feels.
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

School wasn’t preparation for work. For this autistic kid, it was the job: clock in, perform, conform, carry it home. Here’s a short, spoken performance of “For This Autistic Elder, School Was a F***ing Job.”

autisticaf.meFor This Autistic Elder, School Was a F***ing JobFor this autistic as a kid, school wasn’t preparation for a job. It WAS the job: clock in, perform, conform, and carry it home. A blunt autobiographical fragment about school, work, disability, and the Man’s rules that never seem to end.
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

School was a place to escape… from. Maybe you were the autistic kid tat school misread, Or the adult still carrying that classroom around. This one's for you. A story about shame, survival, Theo, and the possibility that genius lives elsewhere. Read it here:

autisticaf.me“Maybe Genius Lies Elsewhere”: Autistic Me, Theo & School, Pt 1A haiku got me branded a cheat. A homeless psych-dropout named Theo got me branded... maybe genius. Autistic, ADHD, and done trusting school to measure either. Frag 10 of my raw autobiography asks: what if genius never lived in a classroom at all?
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

For autistic people, and the people thoughtful enough to listen to us: eye contact can mean panic, pain, sensory overload, even disappearance. I explain what it feels like from inside. Read “What’s the Autistic Thing with Eye Contact?”

autisticaf.meWhat’s the Autistic “Thing” with Eye Contact?I can’t hold eye contact without panic, pain, and sometimes losing myself. This isn’t an autistic “glitch” to train away. It’s my lived reality, and a plea to stop demanding eye contact from autistic people.
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

Tips? Input? Local story that hasn't made the news? Drop me a DM. Or johnnyprofane1@gmail.com... With your help, I'd love to expand this resource. Add global stories.

Johnny Profane Âû@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

“These stories may look separate. They are not.” I’m following these connections. These patterns. That is the work of Divergent Times. #ActuallyAutistic #ADHD #MentalHealth #Psychology johnnyprofaneknapp.substack.com/p/divergent-...

johnnyprofaneknapp.substack.comDivergent Times — August 6–12, 2026News Briefing: One World. Divergent Minds.
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

From Seven of Nine to Rose Nyland, media relies on stereotypes. Non-autistic portrayals are just tourism on the cheap. As a late-diagnosed auDHD author, I explore pop culture icons and explain why you can't act our lived experience. #ActuallyAutistic #MentalHealth #Psychology #Culture #Television

autisticaf.meBetty White, Seven of Nine and Rain Man Walk into this Bar…From Seven of Nine to Rose Nyland, media relies on stereotypes. Non-autistic portrayals are just tourism on the cheap. As a late-diagnosed auDHD author, I explore pop culture icons. and explain why you can't act us. Without being us.
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

I wade through the neurodivergent news so you don't have to scroll through all of it. DOJ's rollback, a fatal police shooting, a nonverbal boy still missing in Calgary, quiet policy shifts nobody's flagging. Curated, fact-checked, unbiased. New on Divergent Times.

autisticaf.meDivergent Times: Sunday, July 26, 2026I read the neurodivergent news so you don't have to scroll through all of it. DOJ's rollback, a fatal police shooting, a nonverbal boy still missing in Calgary, and quiet policy shifts nobody's flagging. Curated, fact-checked, unbiased. Would you want this delivered regularly?
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

They called my autism "immaturity." Missed every red flag. The Treatment Funhouse. I explore trauma, the medical model, the suffocating mask of “personality,” & the wild ride of late-diagnosed auDHD. https://autisticaf.me/2026/07/21/autistic-noir-they-called-it-immaturity-they-missed-every-red-flag

autisticaf.meAutistic Noir: They Called It “Immaturity.” They Missed Every Red FlagIn the first episode of Season 7 of AutisticAF Out Loud, Johnny Profane uses the metaphor of a horror-themed funhouse to depict the struggles faced by autistic individuals within the medical system. He reflects on personal trauma, the challenges of diagnosis, and the quest for joy despite adversity. The narrative highlights the importance of understanding and embracing neurodiversity.

Johnny Profane Âû reposted

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

What is the real cost of a corporate career when you’re autistic? I billed like a VP but paid a brutal "Autistic Tax"... for navigating a corporate shark tank of unwritten rules and sensory overload. Here’s why working for someone else costs neurodivergent professionals far too much.

autisticaf.meWhen Working For Someone Else… “Costs” Too Much.What is the real cost of a corporate career when you’re autistic? I billed like a VP but paid a brutal "Autistic Tax" navigating a corporate shark tank of unwritten rules and sensory overload. Here’s why working for someone else costs neurodivergent professionals far too much.

Johnny Profane Âû reposted

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

What's the real cost of a corporate career if you’re autistic? I billed like a VP but paid a brutal "Autistic Tax." Navigating a corporate shark tank of unwritten rules & burnout. Here’s how this cost this #neurodivergent far too much. #ActuallyAutistic #ADHD autisticaf.me/2026/07/02/w...

autisticaf.meWhen Working For Someone Else… “Costs” Too Much.What is the real cost of a corporate career when you’re autistic? I billed like a VP but paid a brutal “Autistic Tax” navigating a corporate shark tank of unwritten rules and sensory ov…
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

What's the real cost of a corporate career if you’re autistic? I billed like a VP but paid a brutal "Autistic Tax." Navigating a corporate shark tank of unwritten rules & burnout. Here’s how this cost this #neurodivergent far too much. #ActuallyAutistic #ADHD autisticaf.me/2026/07/02/w...

autisticaf.meWhen Working For Someone Else… “Costs” Too Much.What is the real cost of a corporate career when you’re autistic? I billed like a VP but paid a brutal “Autistic Tax” navigating a corporate shark tank of unwritten rules and sensory ov…
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

What is the real cost of a corporate career when you’re autistic? I billed like a VP but paid a brutal "Autistic Tax"... for navigating a corporate shark tank of unwritten rules and sensory overload. Here’s why working for someone else costs neurodivergent professionals far too much.

autisticaf.meWhen Working For Someone Else… “Costs” Too Much.What is the real cost of a corporate career when you’re autistic? I billed like a VP but paid a brutal "Autistic Tax" navigating a corporate shark tank of unwritten rules and sensory overload. Here’s why working for someone else costs neurodivergent professionals far too much.
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

NEURODIVERGENT MANSIONS in my mind are many caverns pieces of me, hidden within... well, damn near most of em. I find memories every day i never knew... I had yet that's me, smiling at me from every damn one of em. #ActuallyAutistic #ND #Neurodivergent

Johnny Profane Âû reposted

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

How I Became an Autistic Performer at 4… Then Acted My Life I performed for control. When they’re laughing… you ain’t in trouble." Autistic masking isn't hiding. It was my desperate stage act for safety. Read my raw truth. Trading authenticity for applause. The exhausting reality of lifelong…

autisticaf.meHow I Became an Autistic Performer at 4… Then Acted My LifeI performed for control. When they’re laughing… you ain’t in trouble." Autistic masking isn't hiding. It was my desperate stage act for safety. Read my raw truth. Trading authenticity for applause. The exhausting reality of lifelong cosplay. And the moments of joy along the way for this late-diagnosed autistic elder. I’m writing a memoir… out loud. Building a book. Fragment by fragment.
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

How I Became an Autistic Performer at 4… Then Acted My Life I performed for control. When they’re laughing… you ain’t in trouble." Autistic masking isn't hiding. It was my desperate stage act for safety. Read my raw truth. Trading authenticity for applause. The exhausting reality of lifelong…

autisticaf.meHow I Became an Autistic Performer at 4… Then Acted My LifeI performed for control. When they’re laughing… you ain’t in trouble." Autistic masking isn't hiding. It was my desperate stage act for safety. Read my raw truth. Trading authenticity for applause. The exhausting reality of lifelong cosplay. And the moments of joy along the way for this late-diagnosed autistic elder. I’m writing a memoir… out loud. Building a book. Fragment by fragment.
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

I Don’t Think I Had a “Personality” as an Autistic Kid I was busy finding Infinity in a burnt-off ant leg... I’m writing an autobiography… out loud. Frag by frag. Just like I lived it. This one brings home the stakes. Read all the frags... free... No paywall. No sub. https://autisticaf.me/the-book

autisticaf.meI Don’t Think I Had a “Personality” as an Autistic KidI was busy finding Infinity in a burnt-off ant leg... Author Johnny Profane  I’m writing an autobiography… out loud. Building a book. Fragment by fragment. Just like I lived it. This one brings home the stakes. The moments of joy along the way… that draw a line under what could have been. Not if they fixed me. But maybe what all of our children…

Johnny Profane Âû reposted

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

For #Medium readers who trust raw truth… over medical models. This autistic kid wore a costume. Forced to everywhere. By a world that couldn’t handle… my nature. Still shedding that hazmat suit? I wrote it so me & you feel seen. Here: medium.com/artfullyauti... #ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent

medium.comI Don’t Think I Had a “Personality” as an Autistic KidI was busy finding Infinity in a burnt-off ant leg…
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

Moments of joy "among the garbage and the flowers." That’s how I tell my story. Fragment 4 is out. A raw look at my 1972 crash, trauma & a late autism diagnosis at 63. What does the system do to an 19yo who can't explain why? Free read. If this lands for you, I'd love to know.

autisticaf.wordpress.comThe Autistic Treatment Funhouse, Room of ExamsIn 1972, a traumatic car crash triggered my harrowing mental health journey. Decades before a late autism and alexithymia diagnosis at 63, I couldn't explain my feelings... much less why. Read this raw, unfiltered autobiography fragment to explore the depths of trauma, resilience, and the survival of my autistic joys.

Johnny Profane Âû reposted

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

What happens when you're trapped in the medical model of autism for decades? Step into the horror-themed funhouse. I'm an autistic elder sharing my raw, unfiltered truth of surviving a system built for a different mind... fragment by fragment. Read the real story.

autisticaf.wordpress.comWelcome to the Autism Treatment FunhouseWhat happens when you're trapped in the medical model of autism for decades? Step into the horror-themed funhouse. I'm an autistic elder sharing my raw, unfiltered truth of surviving a system built for a different mind... fragment by fragment. Read the real story.

Johnny Profane Âû reposted

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

What happens when an autistic "alien" uses books and movies to decode human behavior? I got a brutal reality check. In this raw memoir fragment, I explore hyperlexia, cultural gatekeeping from Oliver Stone to Harper Lee, and my desperate attempts at survival. Read Fragment 2 of my autobiography.

autisticaf.wordpress.comI took you at your word. It was a lie. Culture vs my autistic life.What happens when an autistic "alien" uses books and movies to decode human behavior? I got a brutal reality check. In this raw memoir fragment, I explore hyperlexia, cultural gatekeeping from Oliver Stone to Harper Lee, and my desperate attempts at survival. Read Fragment 2 of my autobiography, coming Fall 2026.
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

What happens when an autistic "alien" uses books and movies to decode human behavior? I got a brutal reality check. In this raw memoir fragment, I explore hyperlexia, cultural gatekeeping from Oliver Stone to Harper Lee, and my desperate attempts at survival. Read Fragment 2 of my autobiography.

autisticaf.wordpress.comI took you at your word. It was a lie. Culture vs my autistic life.What happens when an autistic "alien" uses books and movies to decode human behavior? I got a brutal reality check. In this raw memoir fragment, I explore hyperlexia, cultural gatekeeping from Oliver Stone to Harper Lee, and my desperate attempts at survival. Read Fragment 2 of my autobiography, coming Fall 2026.
Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

What happens when you're trapped in the medical model of autism for decades? Step into the horror-themed funhouse. I'm an autistic elder sharing my raw, unfiltered truth of surviving a system built for a different mind... fragment by fragment. Read the real story.

autisticaf.wordpress.comWelcome to the Autism Treatment FunhouseWhat happens when you're trapped in the medical model of autism for decades? Step into the horror-themed funhouse. I'm an autistic elder sharing my raw, unfiltered truth of surviving a system built for a different mind... fragment by fragment. Read the real story.

Johnny Profane Âû reposted

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

Since 2019 I’ve published a quarter of a million words. Over half the size of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Gotta be a pony somewhere in that shit. Working on a book. Fall 2026. About freaking time. #ActuallyAutistic #auDHD #Neurodivergent

Johnny Profane Âû reposted

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

They called it autistic treatment. Felt like a funhouse. With a Horror theme. #ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent

Johnny Profane Âû@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

#Medium readers expect new angles. They called it autistic treatment. Felt like a funhouse. 23 mirrored rooms. Room 1. A guy with a blowtorch. Smiles. Thin. Cold. "Trust me. Gonna change your life." 22 rooms left. Everybody talks about the Meds Room. medium.com/artfullyauti... #ActuallyAutistic

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

They called it autistic treatment. Felt like a funhouse. With a Horror theme. #ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent

Johnny Profane Âû@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

#Medium readers expect new angles. They called it autistic treatment. Felt like a funhouse. 23 mirrored rooms. Room 1. A guy with a blowtorch. Smiles. Thin. Cold. "Trust me. Gonna change your life." 22 rooms left. Everybody talks about the Meds Room. medium.com/artfullyauti... #ActuallyAutistic

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

Since 2019 I’ve published a quarter of a million words. Over half the size of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Gotta be a pony somewhere in that shit. Working on a book. Fall 2026. About freaking time. #ActuallyAutistic #auDHD #Neurodivergent

Johnny Profane Âû
@johnnyprofane1.bsky.social

A personal narrative about navigating condescension as an autistic professional. Experiences of "benevolent ableism," highlighting the emotional turmoil caused by seemingly kind but patronizing interactions. The piece advocates for recognizing these subtle forms of discrimination.

autisticaf.wordpress.comWhen “Kind” Words… Hurt: An Autistic Elder on MicroaggressionsThe author shares a personal narrative about navigating condescension as an autistic professional. They describe experiences of "benevolent ableism," highlighting the emotional turmoil caused by seemingly kind but patronizing interactions. The piece advocates for recognizing these subtle forms of discrimination and emphasizes the importance of honoring one's limits to avoid further harm.