Ableist Language

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In case you haven't noticed, autistic is increasing popularity on the internet as an insult, and if we want to be accepted as part of the community we CANNOT tolerate such usage of the term. While some people can just rub off their identity being used as an insult, for others it cuts like a knife, and it completely ruins their self-esteem which can lead to so many problems, so this is a serious issue. I for one have finally had enough of it and have decided to take action.

We could try educate to the population about what's wrong with the term, but unfortunately that's not particularly effective because most people simply don't care, they either don't realize autistic people are in their communities (in which case the solution is just to increase exposure to autistic people, not lecturing) so they don't see the need the change, or they don't care because lack empathy. It sounds bad, but must shame people who demean autistic to to send the message that it's not socially acceptable to discriminate against autistic people. This is the only way to get unempathetic NTs to change, they aren't going to change without a fight, and it's a fight worth fighting because it actually DOES work. Notice how it's no longer acceptable to use racist or homophobic insults, that's because people fought the fight.

If you want to join the fight, simplest thing you can do is wait for someone to use ableist language, and then encourage them not to use it. I've put more thoughts on this subject in this tumblr post.

PS: If you don't want to wait, you can find some ableism in the comments of this video, going find OcarinaPlaya's comment and show other people aren't okay with the use of autism as an insult because I'm petty every small change makes a difference, and NTs are more likely to be persuaded by groups than by individuals.

What is disturbing to me is that over the years there have been so many words that were legitimate descriptors or medical diagnosis and went through the following process.

1. They became pejoritives and insults

2. Because of that the became "politically incorrect" to use

3. Another word was used as a replacement. They new word is so wishy washy as to be meaningless (see differently abled) or the new word itself becomes an insult then becomes politically incorrect to use and the cycle goes on and on.

"Moron" and "imbecile" were medical diagnosis at one time until they became insults so "ret*d" replaced those words as the name of the diagnosis. The ret*d and its cousin "ret*d" became and insult and now people get all offended if you use those words so now autistic is replacing ret*d as the go to insult. At one time there was a diagnosis called "manic depression". It is now known as "bi-polar". "Bi-Polar" sounds like something the TV weatherperson should say. "Manic Depression" actually describes the condition. If we keep on running the bullies will get us with the replacement word for autistic and it will never end.

There is a better way that has been used that to combat this successfully called reapproriation. The most successful example of that in my lifetime has been the word "freak" . At first it was a pejoritive to describe anybody very different. In the 1960's it became a popular insulting thing to call hippies. The hippies started calling themselves that affectionately. Now "freak flag fly" is a complimetry term used to describe any non conforming person who is not afraid to be themselves. When I was growing up "Queer" was a popular homophobic insult. Now that negative association is largely gone.

Public shaming and confronting is not a bad thing but has been used so much that not only has it lost its effectiveness but there is very large backlash against those techniques going on now. That technique will likely backfire these days. Even if one is successful in forcefully shaming a word out of use you did not change peoples minds but just caused more hate and resentment for you.

We can only use the word Autistic often and fearlessly for ourselves. If by we change perceptions of others by our example as other groups have in the past that would be a nice benifit.

Someone has no respect for (health condition, or minority.)
You tell them you belong to (health condition, or minority.)
It seems like a way to be disrespected.

I think of it, as a niche interest.

It always infuriates me when people use autistic as an insult. What am I supposed to do, apologize for actually having feelings? They don't realize just how intense my emotions are, in fact they think we don't have any so they can say whatever they want. When people say it's our own fault for being too sensitive, that's blaming the victim.

I draw the line at mocking people's fundamental characteristics, accidents of birth, such as sex, skin color, disability, sexual orientation. I'm okay with mocking choices, mostly. Some mockery offends me, or worse, offends reason.

If I heard anybody using the word autistic as an insult, I'd tell them that I'm autistic and I'm happy to be alive. I'd also tell them that I like to celebrate my autism.

Hmmm, I wonder why it has become an insult, and why youtube videos with autistic people are flooded with troll comments. Now, if it was always that way, I wouldn't have any leads to why. But it didn't happen as much a decade ago. I wonder, there is such a thing as the streissand effect, and trolls, like snipers, go after targets they can see, so painting a big red target on your chest and screaming "try and shoot me! I am invincible! I am bulletproof! This chest is a sign of my pride and indentity!" they will aim at you.

On the plus side, at least whoever they used to target, I don't know, maybe it was furries, have been forgotten about. But I don't know if that was such a good trade off. Like a human sacrificing their life to save a drowning rat.

Test

Politically-incorrect (!) language, used to make a valid point -- no shame.

He's using some handicapped kind-of terms, if you can bear that.

In comfortable company, all of these people use the same expressions as a Kentucky Colonel, with God as my witness. If you sjw's were their friends, you would know that.

Autism is only a word. It describes a way of thinking or a personality trait. Some deadpan literal person, not prone to virtue signaling, not prone to self-pity, would be hearing it like stereo-instructions.