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Do you think Autism has a negative image?

White_Dragon

One thought keeps cropping up and would like to get your views on this topic. Do you think Autism has a negative image in a general sense? Until recently I knew very little about it and from the little I did know I thought of TV programmes like the A word. More recently, now I am a bit more attuned to things, I've noticed on the media/TV that autism is portrayed as a mental health condition. Patience seems a more positive view and a bit of an exception. I watched unforgotten recently on ITV and there was a lad on that they clearly had problems but all they talked about was his autism. Then I was watching the news earlier on and there was a young girl who sounded like she took her own life but had previously been arrested as suspected far right terrorist. Again they mentioned she was autistic.

Maybe I am just seeing more negative cases?

Would be interested to understand what you think?

It seems like a real barrier to me in terms of being open about being autistic when its potentially perceived in negative way? 

Parents

  • Interesting question. I think one of the biggest issues is autism is such a broad spectrum, no two autistic people are the same but yet the media tends to lump us all together under certain stereotypes, one of which is obviously the Sheldon Cooper style brainly Science genius. 

    For me there are two big problems with people's perceptions of autism. Firstly, I feel when I tell people I am autistic some people seem to associate this with immiturity or childishness, almost like I'm not a "proper" adult. I am definitely a proper adult and am more mature than many of the NT people I know but this kind of perception seems to still exist sadly. 


    The second thing is that autism is still considered a disability. Some people on here many disagree with me and I respect that but I don't see autism as a disability, I see it as a different ability. Autism only looks like a disability because we live in a world designed for NT people. If we lived in a world designed for autistic people then being Neruotypical would seem like a disability. 

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  • Interesting question. I think one of the biggest issues is autism is such a broad spectrum, no two autistic people are the same but yet the media tends to lump us all together under certain stereotypes, one of which is obviously the Sheldon Cooper style brainly Science genius. 

    For me there are two big problems with people's perceptions of autism. Firstly, I feel when I tell people I am autistic some people seem to associate this with immiturity or childishness, almost like I'm not a "proper" adult. I am definitely a proper adult and am more mature than many of the NT people I know but this kind of perception seems to still exist sadly. 


    The second thing is that autism is still considered a disability. Some people on here many disagree with me and I respect that but I don't see autism as a disability, I see it as a different ability. Autism only looks like a disability because we live in a world designed for NT people. If we lived in a world designed for autistic people then being Neruotypical would seem like a disability. 

Children
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