Published on 12, July, 2020
I can't stand stereotypes and do not wish to be defined by my condition. I would rather people saw me as an individual with strengths and weaknesses, some of which can be explained by me having Asperger's syndrome, rather than defining me by a label. This is why I can't stand the word 'aspie'. While having Aspergers is an important part of my identity, it is no more important than me being female, no more important than my sexuality or my age. I would hate it if someone did not see past me being a woman or past my age, why is having aspergers any different? The disability movement campaigned for disability to be seen not as an individual affliction or difference, to move beyond individualising disability and to see it as a societal problem: people with disabilities should campaign collectively to change society, making it imperative to see the person before the disability. I am a person with asperger's syndrome, not an aspie. I share traits that other people with AS may have, but I don't share all the traits, just enough to have aspergers. We are all different, to say I am an aspie suggests conformity with other 'aspies' and obliterates the part of me that defies easy categorization.
I just wanted to say I agree with everything you have said scorpion and you didn't come across in a negative way at all. From my perspective you were simply showing the scientific fact that men and women's brains differ and that even though they are different it doesn't matter because it does not give either more or less value.
Sterotypes are used in a negative way but at the same time generalising(or having a term for a condition) has it's uses as pointed out with the apples example.
The term aspie refers to someone who has asperger's and as stated many times every person on the specturm is different but 'generally' an aspie will suffer with socialisation problems, sensory problems, communication issues(as in misunderstandings, not getting jokes etc) BUT that is not the be all and end all of it is it. I myself suffer with all 3 wheras other "aspie's" have no sensory problems or can get on quite well socially but suffer terribly with sensory issues. It's just a term as with most to sum up things, if you do not like the term that's fine don't refer to yourself as an aspie but many don't mind the term and find it easier to say "I'm an aspie/have asperger's" to help explain any odd behaviours, difficulties etc.