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It's the label and stigma that is disabling

JT
2 months ago

I wrote this in another thread but thought it important to discuss more widely.

I was diagnosed at 40 (few years ago). Afterwards, I receeded and didn't like the label so I've mostly kept it to myself. I've found that instead of telling people 'im autistic so I need...', instead I just note that 'i have sensory differences so I need...' for example.

For me the label and stigma are the disabling part, not my brain. This has helped me a lot.

People seem to accommodate your needs fine, but if they are told 'i am autistic so I need...' they become affected and prejudiced by the stigma of what they think autism is (stereotypes) and what they expect an autistic person to be so usually then change their behaviour towards me which always makes me so uncomfortable.

Note: this is just my observation and I fully acknowledge that autism is definitely a disability in many ways for many people. And me too in some ways.

Let me know your thoughts on this please

Parents
  • 2 months ago

    I don't feel disabled. I feel super empowered in my abilities to:

    remember

    analize

    observe

    collate mentally

    feel deep enough to see beyond heartbreak

    see concepts as moving pictures in the mind....

    we are all gifted. find your gifts under the tree and open them!

    once we accept our gifts as our own, we begin to attract people who complement them with theirs.

    •

    Get used to being awesome!!

    You are a powerful creative force. Full stop.

  • 2 months ago in reply to Uhane

    Im pleased for you that your experience is so positive. But I definitely think you are the exception.

    My point isnt necessarily how I feel about myself, or my abilities, it's about how I am able to identify in society.

    I have just been me for 40 years with a good number of struggles. Aged 40 those struggles were validated. Great!

    But along with that clarity came a label, a label I'd always assumed was for other people who were noticably disabled. So I was now at a cross roads; do I tell people I am this label, or do I just tell people as and when I need some adjustments made?

    I have mostly chosen the latter, and when I've chosen the former I've noticed the prejudice take hold in the moment, even from people who work in support of those with differences. I find that quite shocking.

    So for now, I feel society isn't ready, nor am I ready, for a stigma to be attached to my identity. I am not masking as much as I am navigating society's lack of understanding of me

  • 2 months ago in reply to JT

    I relate highly to this post as someone recently diagnosed at 19 I almost feel like no one wants to talk about it. The reactions from my family are ‘oh ok’ quickly moving on and not wanting to talk about it almost hiding it in a secretive way. I feel personally very open about it and I don’t want to hide it but I feel these reactions have stunted that. I feel as if I’m hiding a huge part of me because people have so much stigma around it. 

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  • 2 months ago in reply to JT

    I relate highly to this post as someone recently diagnosed at 19 I almost feel like no one wants to talk about it. The reactions from my family are ‘oh ok’ quickly moving on and not wanting to talk about it almost hiding it in a secretive way. I feel personally very open about it and I don’t want to hide it but I feel these reactions have stunted that. I feel as if I’m hiding a huge part of me because people have so much stigma around it. 

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