Comments on: AUTISTIC! is the term offensive?

By: Danielle

Danielle — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 15:41:22 +0000

What I feel is offensive is the word Disorder at the end of ASD, as I don’t believe that being Autistic is in any way a disorder – yes it may add challenges to ones life, but no person with or without Autism is less important, valuable, adequate or inadequate than someone without autism, or who is neuro-typical. Autistic people, in my view, are very interesting, have a lot of knowledge about key subjects important to them, from which we can all learn, and can be as or even more highly skilled than someone without autism. The word disorder gives a negative connotation I feel, undermining & disrespecting people on the spectrum.

By: David

David — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 03:15:56 +0000

In reply to Steve- adults with autism.

Steve, you may be interested by the chapter on terminology I contributed to the Being Autistic book. You can read it at http://gizmonaut.net/blog/autism/2015/07/being-autistic-terminology.html

By: Steve- adults with autism

Steve- adults with autism — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 23:01:17 +0000

In reply to Karen.

Hi Karen
Thanks for your message. You have an interesting and well thought out way of looking at things. It’s good that you have rationalized autism in a way that you feel comfortable with.

Regards
Steve http://www.adultswithautism.org.uk

By: Karen

Karen — Sat, 11 Jul 2015 15:45:44 +0000

Hello there, I’ve just recently been diagnosed with HFA at 23, I’m now 24 and at my current job I had to make my manager/HR aware and they asked how I view ASD, whether it’s a condition I have or something that I am.
To be completely truthful, I feel that something which plays such a massive part in everything I do down to my thought patterns and the integral parts of my behaviour, basically all the things that make me Karen, can’t just be classed as a condition I have, it’s me.
So in short, I’m autistic, which isn’t the same as having autism. I’m autistic in the same way I’m female, it’s something I don’t control that’s always going to stay a part of me!

By: Steve- adults with autism

Steve- adults with autism — Wed, 27 May 2015 20:55:31 +0000

In reply to Sia.

Hi Sia

That’s interesting. Most people seem to prefer the term “autistic”. I guess it was just me that felt uncomfortable with the term.

Regards
Steve

By: Sia

Sia — Tue, 26 May 2015 13:45:42 +0000

Nope. I’m not at all offended by being called ‘Autistic’.

See, I’m also female. Notice what I just did there? I’m female – not a person with femaleness. Calling myself a female doesn’t mean that I think my sex defines me.

It’s not that I’m offended by ‘person with autism’, either. I just think it’s silly. ‘Person with femaleness’ level of nonsense, again.

I have far better things to do with my life.

I’m offended by people who insist I use person-first language to refer to myself. But that’s not about terminology, that’s about insentience.

I’m offended by people that need to use person-first language to see me as a person. That’s making your issue my problem to solve. Uh…no, that’s your issue and your problem to solve.

By: Steve- adults with autism

Steve- adults with autism — Thu, 21 May 2015 17:55:39 +0000

In reply to Helena.

HI Helena
I must admit, I feel much better now that I have had a diagnosis of high functioning autism. It helps me understand myself better. But the term autistic just feels wrong to me. But it seems that most people prefer it.

Regards
Steve http://www.adultswithautism.org.uk

By: Helena

Helena — Tue, 12 May 2015 01:21:25 +0000

I don’t like any sort of label or name full stop I know I think and act differently to others but see no need to go to anyone about it (not saying that it’s a bad thing for others it’s only my opinion) especially as if you do end up getting labeled it never seems to be a good thing in my eyes

By: Steve- adults with autism

Steve- adults with autism — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 13:02:47 +0000

In reply to HFA.

Hi
Thanks for your excellent comments, I definitely agree with the things you are saying. Just to clarify, are you ok with the term “autistic”? I am not sure how I feel about the word.

Regards
Steve http://www.adultswithautism.org.uk

By: HFA

HFA — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 08:38:11 +0000

The removal of Aspergers from the DSM V was troubling for two reasons. First, the Aspie identity had become quite recently extremely helpful to succinctly describe things that had been so enigmatic to everyone around me for so long. Second, they didn’t ask any of us what we thought. It just enhanced the doctrinal overlord status of the innumerable misdiagnosis of nightmares past. That being said, I’ve come to embrace it, for the distance between those of higher function & the Rainman character is often misleading. We all have that inner Rainman. The distinction is that we have the intelligence to suppress it, often resulting in an interminably exhausting, depressing and anxiety filled state of existence. Frankly, I wouldn’t mind getting a bit of credit for that. Our fear of impinging on society makes us that much more aware, often with a far greater sense of justice and kindness, but all the result of an intensely constant observational scrutiny that leaves a person drained from even the the most brief experience. And when the meltdown comes, which it inevitably will, we have the awareness & consideration to at least attempt to hide it, to protect others, their discomfort taking precedence over our sheer terror & computational overload. Yes, dammit. I am autistic. But they wouldn’t notice it if I didn’t tell them, because I have worked that hard just to make them not feel weird. It never works well enough, because ‘normal’ requires a distinct lack of precisely that level of self reflection. So I tell everyone, straight away, proudly & often with a brief schooling, ie “So, yeah, that thing you wanna do involving eye contact & uncertainty, don’t go stupidly gettin’ surprised when I’m not exactly rockin’ the Casbah’s at it to everyone’s bizarrely specific desire,” and yes, I do say things outloud in such phrasing. I’m HFA. It’s just one of the many exceptional ways we roll. Own it!