Cyberbullying

On Facebook on a post about autism and how it doesn't need to be cured and it makes autistic individuals who they are, which I believe is very true and 74 people liked my comment. So I commented and stated saying I need to be cured makes me a second class citizen and that aspergers makes who I am and has helped me throughout life and that we should end discrimination. This guy replied and said I was wrong it doesn't make me who I am and that it is just a deficit on social interaction that needs to be cured, dunno where he got that information from because it's different from what I was told by every professional I've met; he also said that saying it makes me who I am makes me egotistical. So I disagreed reasonably and said that I had therapy and am at uni and why do I need a pill when I have strategies and that it's more complex than he thinks, then another women agreed with me. Then he stated that unless you wanna be homeless and not speak then anyone would want a pill, then he said maybe I had that to the woman, talking about me like a science experiment. Because I hate language like that I blocked him (I wasn't friends with him anyway) and I didn't want to get in a bottomless debate as I was working and those sorts of things are too much for me. Then he commented again as he wasn't completely blocked and said "right" to start with, then he said he was starting to take my side but then after he found I blocked him said I was egotistical and socially stupid yada yada yada (bullying language), so I reported him for harassing me, then I typed out a message saying I was scared, he's egotistical too and it wasn't typed properly but I tried to say he was saying something different from most professionals I know said, it wasn't gramatically correct as I was literally shaking. This was in a uni library too, so I sobbed and a kind guy offered (still have some faith in humanity), then I retreated for a bit not reading his following comments, but I read his last comment saying block this account if it makes you feel better, I wouldn't want to get in the way of your therapy (despite the fact that was doing a dissertation, not therapy at the time). But I wonder where he pulled this simple deficit idea from. I'm glad I blocked him and I can no longer see his comments and I'm glad I put myself out there as my comment got the most likes, I dunno what the reply where it all happened looks like now for those who haven't blocked him and a nice looking girl replied later who was on the mildly on spectrum said she agreed and told me about herself and how she's loves learning and is highly logical, which made me feel better. I respect everybody has an opinion, but bottomless facebook debates can get too much at times and go no where and freedom of speech doesn't permit people to bully, especially vunerable people. I don't know if I shouldn't had replied or had blocked him later, but I just have so much anger the way people on the spectrum are seen and spoken about, I hate people that talk about us who don't get the social model of disability, that I emotionally blocked him at that point. What should I do next time, was he just an attention seeking troll? 

Parents
  • Couldn't have said it better myself. I've got Aspergers, which may be a mild version of Autism, but the fact that people can't see I'm struggling at times is what makes it difficult for me. People say to me "you don't look like you have it", or "it's OK your over it now" which makes me mad, because I do struggle, it is difficult and it being invisible makes expectations higher.

    I remember when I was first told I had Aspergers when I was 10 by my mum (I was diagnosed at 3 years old), I didn't really understand it myself and I tried to distance myself away from it as possible. It wasn't until I was 17 when in college people weren't afriad to be different and I started learning sociology, I started looking into ASD and asking my parents about it and my attitude changed towards it, my Aspergers characteristics have helped me do well in education, is part of who I am and I would never in a million years want a 'cure', life may be tough, but I enjoy being a nerd and I like my strategies in social situations which have worked so well. My parents, sisters and friends say they would never change me for the world.

    So I'm very interested in autism rights as a resut and hope better public education is provided on autism and other conditions that are misunderstood. I think there should not only be awareness days but understanding days too on what autism is and how it impacts people. Your son sounds amazing and I'm glad you have a positive attitude towards autism and I wish all the best for him. If there was a cure for ignorance, I think it should be force fed on bullys like the troll who was mean and ignorant and many others.

    Thanks for responding and I lovd hearing your insights

    Phoebe Smile

Reply
  • Couldn't have said it better myself. I've got Aspergers, which may be a mild version of Autism, but the fact that people can't see I'm struggling at times is what makes it difficult for me. People say to me "you don't look like you have it", or "it's OK your over it now" which makes me mad, because I do struggle, it is difficult and it being invisible makes expectations higher.

    I remember when I was first told I had Aspergers when I was 10 by my mum (I was diagnosed at 3 years old), I didn't really understand it myself and I tried to distance myself away from it as possible. It wasn't until I was 17 when in college people weren't afriad to be different and I started learning sociology, I started looking into ASD and asking my parents about it and my attitude changed towards it, my Aspergers characteristics have helped me do well in education, is part of who I am and I would never in a million years want a 'cure', life may be tough, but I enjoy being a nerd and I like my strategies in social situations which have worked so well. My parents, sisters and friends say they would never change me for the world.

    So I'm very interested in autism rights as a resut and hope better public education is provided on autism and other conditions that are misunderstood. I think there should not only be awareness days but understanding days too on what autism is and how it impacts people. Your son sounds amazing and I'm glad you have a positive attitude towards autism and I wish all the best for him. If there was a cure for ignorance, I think it should be force fed on bullys like the troll who was mean and ignorant and many others.

    Thanks for responding and I lovd hearing your insights

    Phoebe Smile

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