Published on 12, July, 2020
I have seen these phrase spoken by on TV by those on the Spectrum.
Does anyone else feel that this simplistic statement is insulting to those who are limited by their Autism? For example I would like to do things NT’s do but I know my ASD won’t let me.
I don't like it either, but for different reasons!
* I feel it implies that autism is inherently limiting and negative- I for one don't feel encumbered by my autism, it comes with strengths that mean I am more capable of doing some things than many NTs. Portraying autism in a negative light is something I wish I saw less of- it's the reason some people think it's ok to use abusive 'therapies' in an attempt to 'cure' us, not vaccinate their kids out of unjustified (and misguided) fear or push for prenatal testing with a view to aborting us, plus any number of other nasty things.
* I don't see my autism as a separate entity to myself. It's part of who I am. By separating it from me it's saying it's something that could be taken from me without fundamentally altering my personality and when combined with the above it implies that I would be better off for it, which is insulting.
I agree with both your points, while at the same time agreeing with the original poster, and am not sure there's a contradiction. It's not the idea of being autistic that is holding me back, but some of the weaknesses that are the flipside of some of the strengths.
We need to accept that everyone's different, particularly autistic people. I would not see autism as something to 'triumph over' in a media cliché. I'm not sure 'autism' is even really a thing, other than as field of discussion and work. But we may have unusual problems, that a lot of people don't understand (why don't I do something that I've decided to? why didn't I think of the right thing to say to that person the entire time?). People should celebrate their general achievements regardless of labels, but the idea of being understood and 'self-mastery' is also valid.