Are you proud of being on the spectrum?

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No, it's not an accomplishment and it wasn't something I chose....so what is there to be prideful about? I am ok with it though.

I'm not going to say proud, rather I'm contented with being autistic overall as a person and so forth..

Given the fact that I grew up in a time when "autistic" meant "Basketcase" that would be unlikely. Besides, pride is a DEADLY sin.
I am not ashamed anymore though. It is just a Fact of Life for me. Nothing more or less.

Sincerely,
Matthew

This thread began back in 2009 and I posted to it then. But one thing I always like to add to any discussion about pride is this. Yes, I am proud to be autistic. But the pride I adhere to is the definition of pride which says I am satisfied with the accomplishments and things that I have done as a result of autism. I know many say they are not proud of something they did not earn, but this pride I speak of is just being satisfied with who I am. No, I did not earn autism, it is who I am, but I am satisfied with autism and what it has allowed me to be---that's the pride I have.

No, I hate the word ''Autistic''. It just sounds depressing to me. Like if a mother come upto another mother and said, ''my child's got Autism'', and the other mother's like, ''oh....my child's doing OK, he's fitted in at school well, he mixes with the other children, he's learning to co-operate and participate in groups, he's growing up very fast!'' I think I'll rather be the latter.

I think I find the word ''Autism'' depressing because it is such a misunderstood disorder. Also there are so many symptoms to it - I can't believe how many symptoms there are. I'm like, ''so what AIN'T a symptom of Autism?!''

I will never be proud of it. Not in a million years.

I don't give it much thought at all, or didn't before coming here. So far as I'm concerned it's just another small part of life. No one thing can define a person.

There's absolutely no reason for me to be ashamed of something that is part of who I am. It is what it is, and there isn't anything anyone can do to change it. At this stage of my life (middle age), I wouldn't want to change it, either. Others might be ashamed of me because of it, but I'm certainly not.

There are very few people who understand that it affects all aspects of our lives in one way or another. The few times I can specifically say "This is because of AS" then I am not proud of it, although I can be proud of what I have been able to overcome because of it. But when problems happen from depression (often tied together with AS) then I am in no way proud of it.

I guess my point is that you can't always specifically separate what is normal and what is on the spectrum. At least I can't.

I'm proud of my autism, because I've overcome a lot of obstacles like the fact that my parents tried to raise the autism out of me, and a very lonely five years in high school. I'm also proud of my autism, because it's made it possible for me to hold down a job that I hated for three years. I'm proud of my autism, because it gave me the intense focus that I needed to graduate from Grade 12 on the A Honour Roll. I'm proud of my autism, because it's taught me that I should be fair to everybody and treat others the way I wish to be treated. I know not to hurt others, because I know how it feels to be hurt by many people in many different ways. I'm also proud to be autistic, because of my special interests that I like to celebrate and show to the world.

I am triffle proud in the obstacles I have overcome, since I did not even know why they were there or why overcoming them was so bloody hard at times.
Now, the word "autism" just explains why I had difficulties. I am certainly not proud of being born into this. Then again, even "gay pride" seems almost oxymoronic to me. You are what you are. It is what you ACCOMPLISH in life that counts, not what you are.. I am not proud I am male or middle-aged either. That is plain silly when you think about it.

Sincerely,
Matthew

Not the condition, but I am happy about the things I managed to do, habits I managed to break, and the decent, loyal, hardworking person that I am despite of it, if that makes any sense.

I can't say I particularly am, and don't really identify with it. I usually just say I have NVLD, even though I've gone to psychs and they've been like "Yeah, you got Aspergers." I've lived my whole life acting as though I've had no limitations, and now that I know my limitations, I'm pissed, as I know now there's nothing I can do to really conquer this limitation I have. NVLD is somewhat different, though, as definitively caused by brain damage/abnormality, so it's a defect. It's a defect that makes me "smarter" in some areas, but a defect nonetheless. The way I see me and my NVLD/AS is like, everything else about me is quite literally perfect. A lot of people on like, first glance, would kill to be me, I'm good looking (so I've been told,) smart, somewhat athletic, it's a package that people expect a lot of me, and my NVLD makes me unable to deliver upon their expectations, and my expectations for myself.

So no, I can't say I am proud. I look at it as weakness, a flaw, a defect, and frankly I've gotten seemingly much more negative out of it than positive. Other people see the positive and go "Gee you're so smart" and then go on to say "You could do anything if you just apply yourself." And the problem is, I can't do anything, as if I was as smart as you think I am, I'd already be doing that and they wouldn't be having that conversation with me.

Sometimes I wish this:

No, I'm not proud of being autistic. But I've accepted it as a part of myself. Because of it, I've learned how to adapt to the world in my own way.

I am proud sometimes, but when people are asking me questions about it I often feel like garbage when they say "I respect you so much because you've overcome your disability," it makes me feel like it's a curse. I've grown to accept it more, though.