this post was submitted on 27 Jun 2025
27 points (96.6% liked)

Ask Me Anything

2656 readers
110 users here now

Ask Me Anything (AMA) Community Rules and Guidelines

This is the lemmy.ca AmA.

Welcome to the Ask Me Anything (AMA) community! This is a space where individuals from various backgrounds come together to engage in open and informative discussions. To ensure a respectful, enjoyable, and inclusive experience for everyone involved, we have established the following rules and guidelines:

  1. Be Civil and Respectful:

    • Treat all participants with respect, regardless of their background, expertise, or opinions. Personal attacks, insults, or derogatory language will not be tolerated.
    • Engage in constructive conversations, even if you disagree with the person answering the questions. Focus on addressing their responses or providing alternative viewpoints without resorting to hostility.
    • Remember that the participants are sharing their knowledge and experiences voluntarily. Appreciate their time and effort.
  2. Practice Politeness and Courtesy:

    • Use polite and considerate language when asking questions or engaging in discussions.
    • Be patient and understanding if the person answering takes time to respond. They may receive a high volume of questions.
    • Avoid spamming or repeating the same question multiple times. Give others a chance to ask their questions as well.

-Use NSFW and trigger warning TW in brackets if you talk about sensitive subject.

  1. Respect Boundaries and Privacy:

    • Do not ask personal or invasive questions unless the participant explicitly invites such queries.
    • If a participant declines to answer a question or requests to move on from a topic, respect their boundaries without pressuring them for a response.
    • Avoid sharing personal information or disclosing sensitive details about yourself or others.
  2. Be Inclusive and Stand Against Discrimination:

    • Respect diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Discrimination, including racism, homophobia, and transphobia, will not be tolerated.
    • Foster an environment that welcomes individuals of all races, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and identities.
    • Be mindful of your language and the potential impact it may have on others. Avoid offensive slurs or derogatory terms.
  3. Avoid Spam and Irrelevant Questions:

    • Ensure your questions are relevant to the participant's expertise or field of knowledge.
    • Avoid posting low-quality or repetitive questions that add little value to the discussion.
    • Respect the purpose of the AMA and avoid using it solely for self-promotion or advertising.
  4. Engage in Meaningful Discussions:

    • Prioritize thought-provoking and insightful questions that foster engaging conversations.
    • Be open to different perspectives and use the AMA as an opportunity to learn and broaden your understanding.
    • Jokes are allowed as long as they are respectful, appropriate, and do not target or marginalize specific individuals or groups. -If you are sarcastic, we recommend to use /s to be sure there is no confusion about your intention. Fake sarcasm will be found.

Remember, these rules and guidelines are in place to ensure a positive and informative environment for all participants. Failure to comply may result in 3 strikes warnings, temporary restrictions, or permanent bans at the discretion of the moderators.

in the future, a mod check and balance system might be implemented . Subject to change : [You might appeal your ban by contacting a special appointed moderator to judge if the ban was abusive.

Special appointed mod can create jury like conversation with randomly chosen users with jury votes to decide if bans are legit or not.]

Thank you for being a part of the Ask Me Anything (AMA) community. Let's engage in enlightening discussions, share knowledge, and create an inclusive space that values respect and diversity!

Friendly communities :

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I'm a 65 year old woman with a intellectual disability, ask me anything

top 26 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 2 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (1 children)

I am very curious to know about how you found out about lemmy and why you use it. And why did you want to do an AMA.

Also how has life been? How are you doing?

Has AI been any help?

You seem to have worked as an exotic dancer. How's retirement like?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

"I am very curious to know about how you found out about lemmy"

I found out about it on Wikipedia and thought it sounded cool.

"why you use it"

I like talking to interesting people.

"And why did you want to do an AMA."

I have a unique experience and perspective I couldn't share anywhere else.

"Also how has life been? How are you doing?"

Hard. I'm at that age where friends and family start dropping like flies and all I can do is watch knowing I'm next. I keep myself busy. I watch films, I like to bake/cook, I cycle a lot, I love to find new websites and I have a tradition of going to the bars every Friday.

"Has AI been any help?"

Not really. I used it a few times when it was new not much after that.

"You seem to have worked as an exotic dancer. How’s retirement like?"

Only for a little bit. The last job I had before retirement was as a barmaid. Retirement is alright.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

I like talking to interesting people.

I guess so do I.

Hard. I'm at that age where friends and family start dropping like flies and all I can do is watch knowing I'm next.

I don't want to be insensitive, but are people really dying so fast these days? That sucks.

Not really. I used it a few times when it was new not much after that.

I don't have an ID, but I've found that it can be a graceful teacher at times, explaining things in different ways and a lot more patient. Maybe it might be useful to you as well when you have difficulty understanding something.

Thanks for taking time to answer my questions. You should stick around (if this isn't a fake account). Lemmy is very nice and accepting of people from all across. Most people believe in FOSS and helping others.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 12 hours ago

"I don’t want to be insensitive, but are people really dying so fast these days? That sucks."

Because there old. All of them are in there 60's, 70's and 80's.

"You should stick around (if this isn’t a fake account)"

Thanks, I will

[–] [email protected] 2 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Was there any early signs growing up? What was going to Special Education classes like? If you could change it would you?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 14 hours ago

"Was there any early signs growing up?"

Too many to count. I learn to speak at a later age then others. I wasn't able to read a book until I was 9. I always learnt slower then the other kids in my school and instructions and guides just didn't click.

"What was going to Special Education classes like?"

Very isolating. I couldn't be with any of friends and being special needs does single you out and make target for mockery. Not to mention it leaves a nasty stain on your record.

"If you could change it would you?"

Ever since I was a little girl all I've wanted to be is normal. Absolutely.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

How would I know if I have an ID?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

If you're still doing things on the 7th Grade level you probably have an ID.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Thank you for being so open and sharing your experience!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 16 hours ago

It's no problem.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Is there a formal diagnostic process? If so, what was it like?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago

It was intense. I had to do an IQ test in school which is how I found out my IQ is 72.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What are some examples of things you've had to overcome due to your ID?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Basic things like spelling and maths are really hard for me. I also have struggles with speech. I struggle with things like sounding out words, pronunciation and I also have a lisp.

Another big thing I've had to overcome is the sigma. There's a lot of sigma when it comes to being mentally challenged. This is why every word for it eventually becomes an insult. This has happened to words like "rêtrd", "moron" and "spd".

My parents was very disappointed in me for having to go to special ed classes in school. I remember one night in particular when I overheard them talking about me. They talking to each other about how embarrassing it was to be the only parents with a kid who had go to S.E classes. How I would always be a burden and who had no opportunities in the real world. I remember how I just cried my eyes out for hours after hearing that.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I feel bad for laughing at "overcoming the sigma"

[–] [email protected] 3 points 17 hours ago (2 children)

What about it made you laugh? Why did you think was funny? Not trying to be antagonistic or anything I'm just wondering.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

I think the word you were looking for was "stigma", sigma is used in other contexts as a meme :)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 1 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

I think they're laughing about how it can be misunderstood as the online meme Sigma.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 14 hours ago

Oh, that makes sense.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What's something you wish everyone knew about people with intellectual disability?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 day ago

It goes unseen. A lot of people assumed that everyone with an ID speaks like Forrest Grump and acts like Gilbert Grape but the truth is that ID's are a spectrum that vary from person to person.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Are you willing to share what kind of intellectual disability it is?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There isn't any other type of intellectual disability. You may have got them mixed up with learning difficulties which do have different types. A intellectual disability is its own thing entirely. An intellectual disability is when someone has problems with learning and processing information.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

To elaborate, is there a specific cause of the disability (autism would be an example) and does it affect specific aspects of your life (reading or writing or both, etc..)?

Asking about the "type" is more contextual. Admittedly, it may not appear to make sense at first glance. (Example: https://neurolaunch.com/intellectual-disability-types/ ; Other sites may use "type" but give different examples or conditions.)

Edit: FWIW, my ADHD (and I also suspect autism) is the cause of my own intellectual disabilities. I am not considered "stupid" by any means, but I do have a wide range of quirks: Focus, task completion, organization, planning, hyperactivity, memory issues and past substance abuse being among them.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago

"To elaborate, is there a specific cause of the disability (autism would be an example)"

This is a good question. Honestly I don't even know the cause of it. I have a siblings who seem fine. My parents were ok as well. There's just something different about me that makes me like this.

"and does it affect specific aspects of your life (reading or writing or both, etc…)?"

Reading is off the table. It takes me forever for read anything and my spelling also sucks. I always forget how things are spelt. I have a hard time following instructions. I've lost many jobs due to this.