Published on 12, July, 2020
Monday I had an argument with the online ASD community I attend. As an older Aspie, I can say that ASD has completely ruined my life. I cannot count the many opportunities that I missed due to ASD.
That ASD community insists that ASD is a wonderful superpower, and if anyone has a problem is because society is not accepting it. They even disagreed with the acronym ASD since "autism is not a disorder", and insisted that ASD should not be treated since it's not an illness or a disability.
It's just me, or this point of view is becoming more and more common? Why so many people are starting to subscribe to that "social model" of ASD?
I think it depends on personal experience. Every experience of autism is going to be very different, some people may see it as a gift and focus on the positives and the way it helps them in their life.
From my experience post-diagnosis, I'm still coming to terms with being diagnosed later in life. I'm currently feeling similar to you that I have missed out on a lot of opportunities due to being autistic. Of course, when I was younger I wouldn't have realised that this was the case, like I do now.
In my opinion, being open about being autistic and it being a disability has been of more help to me than focusing on it as a "superpower." It's support I'm not sure I would have been able to access if I discussed the positives of being autistic, and instead how being autistic hinders me day-to-day.