What Makes Special Interests so Special?

One thing that all humans seem to have in common is interests. We all have something we’re interested in, don’t we? It might be something shared by many, like travel, movies, music, or working out. It might be a hobby like crocheting, knitting, gardening, or cooking. It could be outdoor activities like hiking, mountain climbing, or swimming. Everybody likes something.

For many, interests may be simple things that a person enjoys, like watching a particular type of TV show, or reading a genre of books. They may enjoy crossword puzzles or sudoku or baking. They consider these pleasurable activities their interests, and rightly so.

But what makes it “special?”

What makes an interest stand out as a “special interest” or passion? The fact that the person with the interest happens to be Autistic should not be enough to have a different word for it. We don’t specify devotees by categories, such as “male fans of true crime” or “teenage followers of the Olympic games.” So why should we think differently about someone who loves model trains, for instance, depending on whether they’re Autistic or in the neuro-majority? A passion is a passion, regardless of neurotype.

So, what makes a so-called “special interest” so special?

Three things come to mind:

Intensity

An interest may be considered “special” when it is unusually intense. Many little girls go through a phase of loving horses. They read about horses, play with toy horses, and pretend to be horses or to ride horses. Many Autistic girls also love horses, which seems right in step the majority. What’s the difference? Intensity. She feels her love of horses more keenly, and researches it more thoroughly. Many girls love to imagine their dream horse, what color it would be, and what they would name it. Our Autistic girl, though, may be the only one who has memorized all of the breeds of horses and can trace their evolution from the earliest eohippus. She can name every equine body part, poll to pastern and crest to fetlock, and is surprised when the other horse-loving girls don’t understand what she’s talking about. This intensity may stand out as somewhat unusual, but it also provides greater joy in diving deeply and becoming immersed in a beloved passion.

Focus

The second way that autistic “special interests” may differ from typical interests is their focus. When other little boys collect trading cards, comic books, or action figures, an Autistic collector may be fascinated with a more obscure collection, such as subway tokens from a particular city or decade, or maps of amusement parks around the world. When you’re fascinated by umbrella construction, medieval diseases, or native plants, it can be difficult to find others who share this interest. Luckily, the internet exists, so it’s possible to find someone who shares your interest no matter how obscure the focus may seem.

Loyalty

In the normal course of life, young children love “age-appropriate” toys, like, dolls or cars. As they grow older, these interests usually change. Dolls are put aside and makeup, clothes, and hair styles become the new interests. Teen boys forget about toy cars in favor of real cars. Our Autistic teens and adults, though, often remain loyal to the things that brought them joy or comfort in childhood. Why stop watching a favorite cartoon if you still enjoy it? Why put away dolls or give up building with bricks just because you’re older now? There’s no reason. Objects should not be classified as “age appropriate” based on how many birthdays a person has had. Autistic folk are old enough to know what they like, and no one should monitor or police anyone’s passions. Loyalty is an admirable quality, and can extend to beloved objects as well as to family and friends, workplace, community, country, or planet.

Special and admirable.

When a person’s passions are intense, have a unique focus, and they are loyal to them over time, I find that to be admirable. Everyone’s interests should be considered special, and should be celebrated.

What’s yours?