Poll: Should this forum be a space for people with autism?

Sorry,

Just thought of these questions that could be put to anyone about this matter.

What would be the benefit of making this forum an autistic only space? Why shouldn't non autistic be allowed to speak on here?

O said:

What would be the benefit of making this forum an autistic only space?

The biggest benefit for me would be a retreat, a safe haven away from NT's and the NT world.

O said:

Why shouldn't non autistic be allowed to speak on here?

Well, don't they have millions of other forums to visit? Are we not worthy of our own space?   

That's fair enough I don't really have an issue with it being open for all or for autistics only but I though the questions should be asked and you're right that NT's have the whole internet to interact with too  and we do too.

As you suggested maybe a separate sub-forum might be nice within the NAS community page where we (autistics) can talk among our selves but for as much as I don't have an issue with the forum being locked for autistics only I don't think that would be the right thing. I haven't been posting here for very long at all but I think that having a space where we can talk to NT's and try to understand there perspective on things whenever they pop up is a good thing and it gives us a chance to help educate the NT population about autism. I've seen a few posts recently posted by I would assume NT people by the way they were written (apart from the one that stated he/she wasn't autistic) and we can help those people as much as we can.

I also saw Aidie I think post that the helpline will be turned off soon and this forum will be the only place for people to ask for support. But yes having something in your profile that people can see on the forum to indicate clearly whether who you're talking to is autistic or not would be good just so you know who's who.

That's fair enough I don't really have an issue with it being open for all or for autistics only but I though the questions should be asked and you're right that NT's have the whole internet to interact with too  and we do too.

As you suggested maybe a separate sub-forum might be nice within the NAS community page where we (autistics) can talk among our selves but for as much as I don't have an issue with the forum being locked for autistics only I don't think that would be the right thing. I haven't been posting here for very long at all but I think that having a space where we can talk to NT's and try to understand there perspective on things whenever they pop up is a good thing and it gives us a chance to help educate the NT population about autism. I've seen a few posts recently posted by I would assume NT people by the way they were written (apart from the one that stated he/she wasn't autistic) and we can help those people as much as we can.

I also saw Aidie I think post that the helpline will be turned off soon and this forum will be the only place for people to ask for support. But yes having something in your profile that people can see on the forum to indicate clearly whether who you're talking to is autistic or not would be good just so you know who's who.

They like portraying themselves as neurotypical saviours. But in reality, it's just self-serving behaviour

Yeah that's a strange thing to me, like I know that behaviour exists within NT's but I cannot relate that when ever I see it from them.

Yeah, I'm with you, O. I'm just sick of the I'm here to save you! neurotypical response to everything. They like portraying themselves as neurotypical saviours. But in reality, it's just self-serving behaviour to feed their neurotypical saviour complex and be praised for coming to the rescue of those poor, helpless autistics.  I'm not of the opinion that neurotypical inclusion always serves the wider interests of the autistic community. Eventually, like the Borg, they will try and absorb us into the neurotypical collective. 

x

so many of us have to endure emotional and psychological trauma by masking?

100% I've had my fair share too but on here we don't need to mask when we talk to NT's, we can be honest and open to them whereas as in "real life" we might not be. We have a chance to tell someone who is NT how we think and feel in an honest manner and if they listen they can take little piece of extra knowledge with them and pass it on to someone and so on. So if we struggle to do that in person we should have a platform where we can (in my case at least) be anonymous if we chose and voice our opinions and views without the worry of negative recourse.

My view on this is basically this: I see the appeal of having an autistic only forum/sub-forum/posts, I would like to see what gets spoken about too.

However we should take every opportunity we can to educate NT's so that they can better understand us so that we don't have to live in THEIR world but in order to do that we need to be able to speak freely and listen to each other a forum like this doesn't get much better especially if you have issues doing that in person which I most definitely do. By separating us it could turn out to be a very US and THEM platform which I wouldn't like, I would want it to be a space of honesty and exchange of knowledge and separation isn't the way to do that. At the very leat there would need to be a balance, that would look something like a sub-forum within the community page, I don't think the way forward would making the entire NAS community page locked to autistics only.

O said:

having a space where we can talk to NT's and try to understand there perspective on things

Isn't that what we do in life in general and why so many of us have to endure emotional and psychological trauma by masking?