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Views on Autism Awareness poster from other adult Aspies

Lotus

I was wondering what you all think about the Autism Awareness poster on the website to be used in work places. I liked the fact it has strengths as well as the issues that may need support. However I did not like the suggestion of someone being my "buddy" at workplace functions. I know it might help some, but I don't want to go to work functions as I find them tedious, so I don't want to give colleagues a reason to insist I go as they will be my "buddy".

Would you put this poster up in your workplace?

Parents

  • On the whole, yes - though I don't like the idea of having a workplace 'buddy' either, and certainly wouldn't want one.

    The other thing is that I still get hung up on the term 'disability'.  I know the condition is disabling in varying degrees for many people, of course.  But it's largely a social construct.  Because I experience the world and respond to it in a way that is different to 99% of other people, does that necessarily mean I'm 'disabled'?  I'd sooner they'd used the term 'lifelong condition', but that's probably just me being picky.  I'm glad that some of the research now - such as with predictive coding - seems to be moving away from the language of 'impairments' and more towards seeing autism as a different way of processing and responding to input (which it always has been).

    I will download it and put it up on the noticeboard at work.  I was speaking to a few colleagues in the week, and it's clear that their understanding of autism is still largely based on pop culture stereotypes and other misconceptions.  I've also got one colleague who annoys me by going on about his 'autism' all the time in a way that I find quite demeaning.  To me, he very clearly is not autistic - though he claims, because he is dyslexic, that it automatically means he is.  I've tried to point out to him that non-autistic people can have dyslexia, but he just ignores it.  He always talks about it in jokey terms.  'My autism means I can't do that,' he'll say, laughing.  And also 'No one could be as nuts as I am and not be autistic.'

  • in reply to Martian Tom

    I also have a problem with the word disability. I know that for some autistic people it is, and that it being acknowledged as such helps them get the support they need, but I definitely do not see myself as disabled. If anything I see myself as more able than others in my workplace as I make fewer mistakes. Actually the guys I work with find it hilarious if they know I've made a mistake, and I make a joke of it too. I was lucky that I got to know my work colleagues before I discovered I was an Aspie and it's not really been an issue at work. Some people were surprised to find out, but nobody made a thing of it. The knowledge I've gained from my reading about the differences between Autistic and NT brains had helped me understand myself and my colleagues better and I know how to look after myself now. I do think that Chris Packham and other well known people who are "coming out" as autistic are doing a good thing in trying to rid us of the clichéd stereotypes, but I'm not sure that a poster will change the views of people who already have set views on what autism is.

  • in reply to Lotus

    I think having protection under the Equality Act is useful and the limitations on social interaction definitely make it harder to progress in a career or build a family. So I don't mind it being described as a disability.

    At the same time I don't tell people at work. I don't want them to treat me as disabled, I do want to do the job I was employed to do even though I do have Aspergers and I do want to address the behaviours and limitations that prevent me doing it better.

    So I wouldn't put up the poster for my own benefit. I would engage with the internal communications team to suggest they do something for the week.

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  • in reply to Lotus

    I think having protection under the Equality Act is useful and the limitations on social interaction definitely make it harder to progress in a career or build a family. So I don't mind it being described as a disability.

    At the same time I don't tell people at work. I don't want them to treat me as disabled, I do want to do the job I was employed to do even though I do have Aspergers and I do want to address the behaviours and limitations that prevent me doing it better.

    So I wouldn't put up the poster for my own benefit. I would engage with the internal communications team to suggest they do something for the week.

Children