Published on 12, July, 2020
How do y'all feel about an autistic person identifying as an "aut*st" or calling their autistic friends they have close relationships with the same word? My autistic friend prefers it because he says it is "taking the word back", but only autistic people can use it. He likens it to the n-word or h*llbilly.
Personally, I agree with him. In fact, I designed a shirt that says "All my friends are aut*sts" (but actually spelled out without the astrix). It's from a running personal joke where I was completely unaware I was autistic and just thought I liked autistic people, which is why I would say, "All my friends are autistic." Using the word "aut*sts" in the shirt would be an indirect way of disclosing my autism flavor since only autistic people can use it. Would this shirt be offensive?
I wouldn’t find the word offensive, I’ve noticed black people using the “N” word between each other, it’s another way a word had been taken back. It isn’t acceptable for anyone else to use the word. I’ve seen T-shirts for parents of autistic children or partners, that’s brilliant, they are proud to have an autistic person in their family. It’s often how words just evolve, in the 1920’s the word gay just meant someone was happy. I identify as autistic, not having autism, it’s just my personal choice.
Roy - as my comment to Juniper above - there are places where IT is accepted, if YOU are accepted.