what should we say to those who are dismissive about asd

Marjorie195 said:

I keep seeing posts here, that say that it is hard to "come out" because there are people who think that aspergers is not real.

Someone has just posted that people think aspergers "did not exist in my day". Someone else said that it was thought to be almost trendy to claim you have it, so formal diagnosis is vital. Misconceptions abound.

I am no good at sharp responses to this kind of dismissive remark. We do not think on our feet. Perhaps we should pool our ideas of what to say, when those around us are dismissive.

Sadly, the only thing I can think of sounds a little rude.

We used to be labeled geeks and wierdos. Now we are recognised as being on the autism specrum.

Can any one else do better please?

I sometimes try to explain about ASD as a spectrum rather than differing diagnosises. 

I sometimes point out the fact that it is recognised and acknowledged in the WHO International Classification of Diseases; Mental and Behavioural. 

I point out that Asperger Syndrome was first recognised in the 1940s by a German Doctor, but his work was not translated into English until approx 1980s/1990s. 

I sometimes just ignore them. 

I tend not to worry about such dismissive individuals.  They are usually pompous idiots and I cannot be asked to waste my time with them! 

The most important thing I find that helps is absolute confidence.  If you explain with confidence and conviction what ASD is, it tends to disarm a lot of dismissive people.  There is a lot to be said for confidence. 

Marjorie195 said:

I keep seeing posts here, that say that it is hard to "come out" because there are people who think that aspergers is not real.

Someone has just posted that people think aspergers "did not exist in my day". Someone else said that it was thought to be almost trendy to claim you have it, so formal diagnosis is vital. Misconceptions abound.

I am no good at sharp responses to this kind of dismissive remark. We do not think on our feet. Perhaps we should pool our ideas of what to say, when those around us are dismissive.

Sadly, the only thing I can think of sounds a little rude.

We used to be labeled geeks and wierdos. Now we are recognised as being on the autism specrum.

Can any one else do better please?

I sometimes try to explain about ASD as a spectrum rather than differing diagnosises. 

I sometimes point out the fact that it is recognised and acknowledged in the WHO International Classification of Diseases; Mental and Behavioural. 

I point out that Asperger Syndrome was first recognised in the 1940s by a German Doctor, but his work was not translated into English until approx 1980s/1990s. 

I sometimes just ignore them. 

I tend not to worry about such dismissive individuals.  They are usually pompous idiots and I cannot be asked to waste my time with them! 

The most important thing I find that helps is absolute confidence.  If you explain with confidence and conviction what ASD is, it tends to disarm a lot of dismissive people.  There is a lot to be said for confidence.