You’ve Always Been This Way is a column written by Taylor Harris, a late-diagnosed neurodivergent woman and 1980s preschool dropout, who identifies...

There’s a particular sound, within calls to resist, that’s perked up my ears: Joy as an act of resistance. It goes: Call your representatives and protect your neighbors, but don’t forget your whimsy. This is not a message for the status quo, for the privileged folk raising their kids to tell my kids, “If people just followed the laws, they’d be fine!”

For those of us who run on empathy, knowledge, and a sense of justice, there’s an invitation to resist and not burn out. Even as we fight, living and relishing shouldn’t stop.

…

I’ll save the deep dive into unmasking, masking, and humor for another day, but I cannot return to my cave before mentioning, perhaps, the most critical precursor to experiencing joy:

No expectations.

No demands.

Just me and my overgrown synapses throwing a strange party that no one has to RSVP for.