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'm fine with it. It's reclamation, like when LGBTQ+ people call ourselves queer- not everyone has to use it if they don't want to, but it's people asserting their autonomy and showing that who they are isn't bad.
battybats said: like when LGBTQ+ people call ourselves queer-
I have a problem with that as when I was growing up, it was very derogatory (as you will know) and my mum used it a lot.
Every time I read it I see the expression on her face when she said it as she was vehemently anti-gay etc.
So, for me, it's out but as a general thing, reclaiming terms is good.
With regard to Autist though, surely it's not reclamation is it, as I don't believe it was ever used derogatorily?
Or am I wrong
I think NTs specifically are discouraged from using it because it can sound derogatory coming from them.
Interestingly autist has never been a slur in common usage, autistic has been used as a slur for ages by NTs though. Shardovan Don't worry about it Shardovan, it's likely just someone stirring the pot. There are people that steal stuff through misappropriation but the way to fight against that is to not let them have the monopoly on that word. Keep using autist in it's intended way. Never concede ground to the kinds of people who would rob us of our language and culture the way white supremacists tried (and failed btw) to appropriate the valknut from Norse Pagans who have it as a genuine religious symbol.