Published on 12, July, 2020
sayings like , "autism is a superpower" or "autism isn't a disability, it is a different ability" worry me sometimesI feel like this invalidates people who aren't quite comfortable with being Autistic or Autistic people who feel as though their ASD has more negative than positive impacts or those who feel as though their diagnosis has an equal amount of positive and negative effects. I understand these sayings have positive intentions and are meant to empower Autistic people, but it just kinda comes off as inspirational stuff to me. Again this is good.
But two thirds of autistic people are in the mid and severe ends of the spectrum and so will probably never/rarely be in this forum or have their voice/opinions heard.
I am lucky to be the way I am. But there are days I wish I could swallow a pill and my autism would be gone.
I am equal amounts of positive and negative with shrinking negatives.
But I always think about those who are really suffering on the spectrum.
Do you feel Autism is a real downer for you ? how bad is it ? and most importantly ,,,,,,,,,What can be done to help or change things for you?
Most of the people on this long thread who judge it as a disability are doing so by comparing their autistic traits to the benchmark set by NT people or based on the negative experiences they have due to the comorbidities of autism not autism itself. Its not a personal opinion, its either a disability or its not. It can't be both at the same time. I put a link on this thread that showed a presentation given by clinicians that showed that when outside observers watched two autistic people (without knowing their diagnosis) they could not tell they were autistic and could only see autism presenting when you had an autistic person interacting with an NT person (funny enough). If thats not strong evidence that its not a disability, just a difference in the type of human being we are, I don't know what is. People are entitled to their own opinions but not their own facts. I am about the business of facts and clarity.
While I generally agree that asserting that neurotypical society is the correct measuring stick against which to measure autism is highly questionable I must take issue with this one thing you say. that something is a disability or it isn't. Language is messy, words, including disability, often have multiple definitions, often with considerable overlap, but which are not interchangeable. It's entirely possible for something to be and not be a disability depending on the definition you use.
There is a legal definition
You're disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
I don't put that much confidence in the law or legal definitions, its allowed racists to abuse me for a number of years without any consequences for them for example so its not even good never mind perfect. I think this definition is incomplete, it should include a clause that indicates this state must be invariant of the environment you find yourself in. A person who cannot walk will not be able to walk regardless of how they live, that's a disability. A person with ADHD will never be able to concentrate on something without medication, thats a disability. Autistic people if they are allowed to live in a way that helps them then these negative effects disappear (I am excluding autistic people who have a comorbidity of learning difficulties for example). So I don't think its a true disability, the negative effects are caused by being forced to live a lifestyle that is not designed for us just like a native amazonian would struggle to cope with life in London for example as its not designed for them. I would be in favour of recognising autistic people as a separate group (just like travellers got recognised and they are much closer to NT people than we are) with laws to protect us allowing us to live our lifes how best suits us (maybe even identifying it as a culture we have. A definition of culture: the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society.) to reduce the negative impacts we experience being forced to live how NT do and that takes advantage of our strengths for the good of our communities that we live in.
Totally agree with you TheLoneWolf