“Autsome”: Fostering an Autistic Identity in an Online Minecraft Community for Youth with Autism

Abstract

Autism is a medical diagnosis that has attracted much attention in recent decades, particularly due to an increase in the numbers of children being diagnosed and the changing requirements for getting the diagnosis. In parallel online communities around autism—both those supporting individuals, families seeking treatment and those supporting embracing the autism identity—have grown. Previous literature has shown the positive impact support groups can have for those encountering hardship in their lives, such as depression. In this qualitative study of an online community for autistic children centered around a virtual world, I explore how the label “autism” can be not only a source of disenfranchisement, leading to harassment and violence—in both the virtual and physical world—but also a source of empowerment and identity. I illuminate the tension in claiming the autistic identity within this community—having a sense of identity in the community, but, in doing so, also “othering” those with autism further. The walls of the community work to keep community members safe, but also set them apart from others on the internet. I see that the Autcraft community goes beyond being a support group for victims of targeted violence, to one that redefines and helps community members embrace their own autistic identities.