Published on 12, July, 2020
This is something which bugs me a lot so I’ve decided to voice it - I’ve seen it in here and in the world around me and it seems to be happening more and more - people playing the autism card. For absolute clarity, I wholeheartedly believe employers etc should make reasonable adjustments for ASD where there is a genuine need, but too often I am seeing people try to use their autism as a means of getting more or justifying actions which aren’t right.
As someone on the spectrum, I don’t want to stand out, I don’t want others thinking I’m getting specialist treatment or get away with stuff because I’m autistic. Drawing attention to the autistic cause negatively isn’t going to help anyone, least of all ourselves.
For example people have posted on here saying they feel they should get to break social distancing/ lockdown rules because they are autistic (despite the fact that this puts them and others at risk), a year or two back I knew an autistic guy who set off an alarm because he didn’t get his way, the real reason was because he was annoyed at someone and generally throws his toys out of the pram when he doesn’t get his own way - his defence was ‘I am autistic’ - so I challenged him on this, and he eventually conceded that he used his ASD to cover up for his behaviours. The same I feel applies to violence or other bad/ anti-social behaviour - there is a huge difference between a trait being activated and a learned behaviour to deal with it. If someone says ‘I hit that person because I wasn’t coping with a particular trait being triggered’ - that’s a fair statement. To say It hit that person because I’m autistic’ is not - I accept there are links and I gave more sympathy for young children on this one who don’t understand law, social norms and values etc but as adults we have to take responsibility for ourselves and our actions.
So yes we should (if we want to) disclose ASD so as reasonable adjustments are made, but I wish people would stop misusing autism as an excuse where it shouldn’t be used. I worry people will tire of ‘but it’s because I’m autistic’ to the extent that genuine needs will get brushed aside - so everybody loses.
*Rant over*
I don't know the circumstances of the individuals who have caused your rant, But if they are using their autism to get away with stuff then I am also upset..... I have serious physical disabilities that have left me in an electric wheelchair, My local council keep trying to force me into housing in unsuitable areas where we would live in constant fear, My local autism service has even told them in writing they can't do that as I will feel a constant drive to defend myself..... The council won't listen, They just keep saying "it's a bungalow, It's suitable for your disabilities".....
People who use their autism to get away with stuff make it harder for those of us trying to get adjustments we need to live in peace as nobody will take us seriously....
Like I said to start with, I don't understand who caused this rant, Or if it is simply a misunderstanding..... But my statements about others unfairly using their autism to get away with wrongdoing still stand!
Stay well peoples
Thanks for commenting, in truth it’s a few instances in recent years by different people on the spectrum - I’m all for reasonable adjustments but so me people give all those with ASD a bad name for using their condition to justify things which in truth shouldn’t be blamed on the autism.