do your opinions count less if people knew you're autistic?

There is an aspect to this question, that is really relevant. Someone mentioned that autism being classed with cognitive impairment... There are autism related organisations in US that actually openly argue that autism makes autistic people ineligible to participate in conversations and make decisions about themselves and others, that basically unless they behave in a NT way they don't have any value and positive contribution to society. There are also fora that explicitly ban autistic people from participating on the basis that are autistic, don't have empathy and don't understand, have nothing relevant to add to the discussion... Views like this are not widespread in UK, but they are creeping in, especially when people rely on certain US sources for information about autism. So we need to promote the correct information.

There were attacks on Greta Thunberg's credibility specifically about her autism, arguing that she does not understand what she is doing, that she is manipulated (a 'patsy'), has no mind of her own, that her views are not relevant because she does not have empathy, because of her eyes, because she is 'chilling', because she is 'dreaded', 'monotonous' etc etc.

Human rights watch rebuff [need google translate]: https://www.hrw.org/fr/news/2019/04/18/lettre-de-human-rights-watch-lexpress-en-reponse-la-tribune-de-laurent-alexandre-sur

'Like Greta Thunberg, I am on the autism spectrum. She gives me hope'. Charlie Hancock: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/25/greta-thunberg-autism-spectrum-critics

Greta of course is the lovely Swedish autistic teenager who is the face of the Climate protest, Extinction Rebellion and the the Nobel Prize nominee. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07770t8

So Greta being the Nobel prize nominee is really helpful 

“It’s noteworthy that Thunberg has chosen to be open about being autistic, because by being openly autistic while serving in positions of leadership, autistic people can help transform how society views us, opening up opportunities for other autistic people around the world,” he says. “By being proudly autistic in our moments of excellence as well as our moments of struggle, we help to change the public image of autism and tell the world that we have much to offer.”' https://www.vox.com/first-person/2019/5/6/18531551/autism-greta-thunberg-speech?utm_campaign=vox&utm_content=entry&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

There is an aspect to this question, that is really relevant. Someone mentioned that autism being classed with cognitive impairment... There are autism related organisations in US that actually openly argue that autism makes autistic people ineligible to participate in conversations and make decisions about themselves and others, that basically unless they behave in a NT way they don't have any value and positive contribution to society. There are also fora that explicitly ban autistic people from participating on the basis that are autistic, don't have empathy and don't understand, have nothing relevant to add to the discussion... Views like this are not widespread in UK, but they are creeping in, especially when people rely on certain US sources for information about autism. So we need to promote the correct information.

There were attacks on Greta Thunberg's credibility specifically about her autism, arguing that she does not understand what she is doing, that she is manipulated (a 'patsy'), has no mind of her own, that her views are not relevant because she does not have empathy, because of her eyes, because she is 'chilling', because she is 'dreaded', 'monotonous' etc etc.

Human rights watch rebuff [need google translate]: https://www.hrw.org/fr/news/2019/04/18/lettre-de-human-rights-watch-lexpress-en-reponse-la-tribune-de-laurent-alexandre-sur

'Like Greta Thunberg, I am on the autism spectrum. She gives me hope'. Charlie Hancock: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/25/greta-thunberg-autism-spectrum-critics

Greta of course is the lovely Swedish autistic teenager who is the face of the Climate protest, Extinction Rebellion and the the Nobel Prize nominee. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07770t8

So Greta being the Nobel prize nominee is really helpful 

“It’s noteworthy that Thunberg has chosen to be open about being autistic, because by being openly autistic while serving in positions of leadership, autistic people can help transform how society views us, opening up opportunities for other autistic people around the world,” he says. “By being proudly autistic in our moments of excellence as well as our moments of struggle, we help to change the public image of autism and tell the world that we have much to offer.”' https://www.vox.com/first-person/2019/5/6/18531551/autism-greta-thunberg-speech?utm_campaign=vox&utm_content=entry&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

Tinyexplorer said:

Views like this are not widespread in UK, but they are creeping in, especially when people rely on certain US sources for information about autism.

qwerty said:

I've been applying to jobs recently, and in the diversity survey at the end, some place ASD under cognitive impairment

I mentioned ASD is categorised as "cognitive impairment" in the diversity surveys when I was applying for jobs. I should mention that I've applied for jobs both in the US and in the UK. And in the places I applied, ASD being categorised as cognitive impairment all happened to be in places in the UK. In the US, some of the forms are just yes/no whether you have a disability, while in other forms, you pick the specific name of your disability. In the UK, all disabilities are placed in categories, some places put ASD under social/communication disability, while others it under cognitive impairment. So it seemed likely that this view originated in the UK. One of the places I applied to in the UK that put ASD under cognitive impairment also took part in the Guaranteed Interview scheme (which means they are register Disability Confident employers. Maybe you should try applying for some jobs in the UK just to take a look at their diversity survey. 

A few years ago, some nasty, manipulative (and insanely jealous) members of my wife's family were suggesting that I should not be allowed to go to my father-in-laws funeral because I wouldn't understand what was going on.    The chief instigator was a teaching assistant....

What you say is very true and very sad and it sounds like a case of uneducated people talking about things that they actually know nothing about.

I don't class Autism as a Cognitive impairment but rather a Cognitive difference. Anyone is entitled to an opinion, Autistic or not. As long as someone has full mental capacity then they are as able as anyone else to participate in discussions and make decisions; sometimes more so. People who lack mental capacity either partly or entirely still have a right to participate in discussions and make decisions where they are able to. 

I'm going to stop now before I get on my high horse!