‘If you’re seeing this…’
The constitutive rhetoric of autism diagnosis content on TikTok
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52610/rhs.v30i91.370Keywords:
Keywords: constitutive rhetoric; autism; TikTok; genre; rhetorical identificationAbstract
This article examines the rhetorical dynamics of autism diagnostic content from the #AcutallyAutistic community TikTok, focusing on how users perform credibility and construct knowledge claims in that community. Drawing upon a rhetorical analysis of 45 videos, the study explores genre, appeals to epistemic authority, and the discourse of autism visibility. It finds that creators predominantly rely upon narrative and mimetic forms, privileging personal experience over scientific citation. I argue that such content does not aim to supplant scientific discourse about autism but instead fulfills distinct rhetorical goals, such as the affirmation of identity and the cultivation of community. By framing autism diagnosis as a site of positive freedom and authenticity, TikTok creators in that space engage in a mode of constitutive rhetoric that reflects broader generational shifts in epistemology, identity politics, and media engagement.
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