Published on 12, July, 2020
I joined in January following my ASC diagnosis, the community was recommended by my assessor at the feedback session. There’s some big ways in which being a member here is helping me, my thread about fibromyalgia for example is one where I have received terrific support, information and tips which are really useful. I’m learning so much about the different ways autism presents and about various ideas for self help. I’ve been able to share the way the ASC dx enabled me to challenge then overturn the mis diagnosis of bipolar Id lived with since 1999 which I hope has helped others too. This is all keying in really well with the support I’m getting from several nhs teams and my partner’s huge positive emotional backing. There’s a big BUT though …
Quite often threads deteriorate into extreme points of view which are irrelevant to autism. I rarely take sides and by and large am staying out of the arguments but it is impossible to avoid seeing them, it isn’t possible to simply “scroll on by” as most times the thread title doesn’t suggest where the discussions end up. I am dealing with serious trauma and these posts sometimes really trigger me. Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinions but I actually think it is harmful to have debates around politics, gender, sexuality, religion, race etc here in a autism community. There are places where these issues can be discussed but this shouldn’t be one of them.
My preference would be for an outright ban on these subjects, an instruction that the community is a place simply for discussion about autism and related health issues themselves not the politics and opinions of autistic people. Of course it would require a serious moderation involvement but I’m sure that can be achieved as I have no problem in reading every post every day with no more than hour of time invested
An alternative would be to follow the model of the Bipolar UK eCommunity where there is a “Contested” section for the discussion of off topic and triggering issues.
My own opinions on these off topic subjects are irrelevant but the harm having these debates salted into threads which I need to read in order to develop my understanding of autism is such that it could impinge on the progress I am making. I imagine this is true for others too, the silent majority no doubt
Thanks
Emma
Autistic people are still people, with interests and viewpoints on a wide variety of topics. I quite enjoy when discussions evolve away from the subject the thread starter initiated, as long as there is a logical development. I am, in general, not in favour of prescriptive rules around discourse. People should be, at the very least, civil to each other, but that is already covered by existing rules. I do not see this forum as primarily therapeutic, rather a place where autistic people can discuss anything that is important to them, with others who have some level of similar experiences and a degree of fellow feeling..
Except a few posters don’t appear to show a degree of fellow feeling. I have no objection to discussing things but I would prefer them to be discussed in separate threads.
I have been the victim of a lack of fellow feeling here. Some people on this forum have 'hair-trigger' reactions to certain topics, and no sense of propriety or decency in their responses to being triggered; even if they have fundamentally misunderstood what another person meant. However, I think active censure for people who are actively insulting others is more useful than making topics forbidden areas for discussion.