Autistic Arms

Hello everyone!  This week I want to talk about an interesting (and rather lighthearted) aspect of autistic life, and that is what we do with our arms!  If you’re autistic, you may recognize these behaviors in yourself, and if you know an autistic person, you might notice them in others.  It’s important to know that these postures are not negative or harmful – they’re actually quite beneficial to the autistic person and make them feel comfortable.  They are perfectly natural and nothing that needs to be changed!

Many autistic people like to bend their arms at about a 90 degree angle with their hands out in front of them.  Some may droop their wrists.  The autistic community has affectionately dubbed this pose “T-Rex arms.”  T-Rex arms are good for many autistic people.  Often, we aren’t sure exactly what to do with our arms, and this is a comfortable position for them to be in.  Some autistic people may also stim with their T-Rex arms, something that depends on the individual and what helps them feel calm.  Personally, I often find myself swinging my arms back and forth a little.  Internally, I like to call them my “Alexis Rose arms,” due to the gesture Alexis often does in the show Schitt’s Creek (Annie Murphy, the actress who plays Alexis, says she was inspired by the way celebrities swing their arms while holding their purses and decided to extend the gesture to both arms for her character.  Watch her interview with BUILD here.)

Some autistic people may feel inclined to grip something in front of them and hold it close to their chest, slightly more so than a neurotypical person would.  I’ve often noticed myself holding books and water bottles in this position.  If a person doesn’t have something to hold, they may clasp their hands or have them near each other.  Once in high school, I was holding a water bottle this way and a substitute teacher thought I was praying!  I’m not exactly sure why autistic people tend to hold this pose, but I suspect it has something to do with feeling secure.

Another security posture is folding our arms.  From what I understand, neurotypicals may take this as a sign that someone is cold or would like space from people.  However, for autistic people, it could also mean that they are uncomfortable in the environment, that it feels cozy, or simply that they don’t know what to do with their arms at that moment.  If you’re uncertain about how the individual might be feeling, it’s okay to ask!

I hope you enjoyed today’s article.  I certainly enjoyed writing it!  I love learning about autistic mannerisms and being able to share their meaning.  If you’re autistic or have an autistic loved one, be sure to drop your/their favorite poses in a comment!