Published on 12, July, 2020
This question is controversial but I thought Jeremy Andrew Davis had an interesting take.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tdOp8XnTm6c
What do you all think?
No, just neurodivergent!
That is true.
But I think that we could be considered disabled as well.
Being restricted in certain aspects of life ex socialising. It doesnt really matter what the cause of the limitation is because it still exists. Yes there is a communication difference and neither form of communication is wrong or bad, but that communication difference creates a greater interference with such things as a career. Limiting activities and opportunities.
His example of glasses being a disability I thought was good because glasses are an accomadation to help with the limitations of poor vision. A disability. People dont consider needing glasses as a disability because of how common it is. Its also not seen as negative.
I think any hesitation with identifying with a disability is due to the negative stigmas associated with the term.
Unless you dont see a single disadvantage with your autism? Even if its due to the way society is set up the limitations are still there.
FH said:Unless you dont see a single disadvantage with your autism?
I don’t, being autistic means I am a very passionate, motivated, autodidactic and analytical person who can show such empathy to my fellow neurokin! Being autistic enables me, it gives me complete purpose in my life and huge satisfaction being part of my autistic community.
Disability is naturally a negative word given the prefix. Any word starting with the prefix ‘dis’ is inherently negative meaning difficulty or inability.
Take for example, these words and current names for neurotypes below:
Disappointment
Distress
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
etc….
This is naturally an autistic literal interpretation, however I hope it conveys my point as this prefix ‘dis’ and other variations are inherently negative.
Just by being part of this autistic community you are socialising and sometimes building relationships!
I am not denying your experience. However I would question whether what you state about friendship and love could be because you have not found your own tribe yet who you truly connect with?
There are many different types of relationships, which often look very different for us autistic people, just because the way you interact with others is different to non autistic people does not mean you can’t find friendship or love, it will just look different. For example, many of us value online connections as friendships as evidenced by this space.
Amerantin (former member) said:I really hate this endless policing of language. Hate it. As the man in the video said: "Denying our reality is an ableist form of toxic positivity”
I really hate this endless policing of language. Hate it.
As the man in the video said: "Denying our reality is an ableist form of toxic positivity”
Have you read the "1984" book? The book, not the movie. Orwell was a visionary, but almost everything he predicted ended up true
I don’t “identify” as disabled and I don’t define myself by any of this. I merely recognise that in certain quite fundamental and profound respects I am disabled.
Denying that being unable to participate in the most basic of human experiences - friendship and love - is a disability would be utterly self deceiving and would trivialise something that has ruined my life, and that of many others on this forum.
I am not saying that people can’t identify as disabled.
Not being able to form social relationships profoundly impacts my life.
My noise sensitivity negatively impacts my life.
My inability to separate voices in a crowded room impacts my life.
My variable focus profoundly impacts my job.
These are all consequences of autism and they are disabling.
No but it’s a natural part of life and the diversity of human brains is not comparable to death.
Physical disabilities are much more complex and nuanced than difficulty moving, for example aspects such as pain and fatigue or muscle weakness can be disabling.
So is dying. So is being sick. So is feeling pain. Does that make these things good?
Neurodiversity is a natural part of human experience, in a similar way to biodiversity, gender diversity etc
Ausomely Autistic said:for example physical disabilities are inherently disabilities
Are they inherently disabilities? If there was a society where walking wasn't integrated into the everyday life, someone who couldn't walk wouldn't be disabled. I am only contemplating.
In the examples given "dys" is the correct prefix chosen for an obvious reason: they apply to conditions that adversely affect the ability in question. There isn't a "positive" way to describe an impairment.
Just so you know I am not denying reality, I am just analysing the prefix of a word. Naturally us autistics are very analytical!
You are welcome, I am glad I helped you think about this!
I am not saying that people can’t identify as disabled, for example physical disabilities are inherently disabilities, I am just analysing the actual meaning of the word.