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?
The social model of disability is preferable to the medical model, because it does not assume that certain people cannot do things. It aims for such things as enabling autistic children to have educational opportunities and learning support, and for autistic adults to have appropriate adjustments if they work, to help enable autistic people reach their potential.
It would be interesting to hear what opportunities you have missed due to being autistic. I'm an older person too - I didn't discover I was on the spectrum until I was in my fifties - and I didn't learn much at all at school, because the way of teaching was not tailored to my needs. I've learned more from online and distance learning as an adult. I have asked for and been granted adjustments to my working environment in my current job, which has helped me.
However, the social model of disability does not take away all struggles. Just as a wheelchair user can be enabled to be more independent by things like ramps in public places and specially designed bathrooms, but there are still some things they will not be able to do, so autistic people may achieve more through a social model of disability in education and work, but can still struggle with other issues.
I believe that the ASD community you mention is trying to foster a positive self image for autistic people. That's a good thing, but it's not a "super power". Yes, we can be very good at some things, like hyper focus and attention to detail, or have creative skills, but non autistic people have other things that they are good at. It's not a competition about which type of person is best. Everyone has things they are good at and things they struggle with.
I personally do not see my autism as a condition or a disability - just a difference - but I'm very aware that for other autistic people it can be disabling. It's probably tempting for society to see us as a group who all have the same needs and issues, because for most "conditions" that is the case, but our needs can differ - we're all unique.
Pixiefox said:t for other autistic people it can be disabling.
Yeah, it is. Too bad that it conflicts with the narrative of "autism is unique and magical".
Pixiefox said:It would be interesting to hear what opportunities you have missed due to being autistic
Social opportunities, job opportunities, relationships, promotions at work, the chance of being heard and respected in social gatherings, many others.
In hindsight, we were lucky that we were not diagnosed. Back then, in the '80, ASD was treated as a form of childhood schizophrenia. A psychiatrist of the eighties would have pumped up full of old-style antipsychotics. We would probably be dead or in a psych ward by now.
Pixiefox said:just a difference - but I'm very aware that for other autistic people it can be disabling. It's probably tempting for society to see us as a group who all have the same needs and issues, because for most "conditions" that is the case, but our needs can differ - we're all unique.
Absolutely! I strongly reject the pathology paradigm (disorder narrative) in favour of the neurodiversity paradigm and I assume you do too?