Say it loud, autistic and proud

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DivaD
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14 Nov 2005, 12:05 pm

pretty good (though rather long) article on autistic activism

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine ... 92,00.html

Quote:

Shocking and unreasonable as the autism activists seemed at first sight, they are really only bringing a medical backwater up to speed. In our personal relationships, in schools, at work, we all expect a degree of consensus and to have our own needs and wants taken into account. Patient groups in many other fields expect to have a say in the services provided and how research is done. Autism presents a challenge to this trend, not so much, it turns out, because the people involved don't have a sense of our minds, but because we are very bad at reading theirs. More and more of them are trying to explain what's going on with them, and what they want. Shouldn't we be listening?

CockneyRebel
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15 Nov 2005, 11:31 pm

I'm Proud!

toddjh
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15 Nov 2005, 11:38 pm

I've never understood the concept of being proud of something you have no control over...

Edited to add: That said, education and activism can be good things if approached properly.

Edited to add again: I wonder, though, if it's not a lost cause on certain levels. Certainly it would be good for adults to understand more about how we're different, but I think most mistreatment of Aspies occurs in childhood, and I don't know what can really be done about that -- kids are just like that. It would be helpful if teachers and school employees worked harder to keep bullies under control, but that's just a good idea in general, and not related to autistic children in particular.

Jeremy

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16 Nov 2005, 3:38 am

Well Im not ashamed! :wink:

Dylanperr
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09 Jun 2018, 4:27 pm

I am a proud Autistic!

EzraS
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09 Jun 2018, 6:15 pm

I don't get the pride concept. Not that I'm against others feeling that way. But to me it's like being proud that my hair is a certain color or that I'm a certain height. I'm proud of stuff I accomplish.

ASPartOfMe
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09 Jun 2018, 7:33 pm

Necrobumped thread of the year

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DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity

It is Autism Acceptance Month

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Kraichgauer
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10 Jun 2018, 12:34 am

That many people in the arts and sciences are on the spectrum is something to feel pride in.

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eikonabridge
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10 Jun 2018, 12:48 am

Kraichgauer wrote:

That many people in the arts and sciences are on the spectrum is something to feel pride in.

To first-order approximation:

autism ~ science/engineering/accounting
bipolar ~ arts
schizophrenia ~ sect/religion/prophet

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Kraichgauer
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10 Jun 2018, 1:05 am

eikonabridge wrote:

Kraichgauer wrote:

That many people in the arts and sciences are on the spectrum is something to feel pride in.

To first-order approximation:

autism ~ science/engineering/accounting
bipolar ~ arts
schizophrenia ~ sect/religion/prophet

There have been prominent writers who were doubtlessly on the spectrum, such as H.P. Lovecraft, Franz Kafka, James Elroy, Robert E. Howard, Thomas Ligotti, etc. So yes, those on the Spectrum have made their mark on the arts.

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eikonabridge
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10 Jun 2018, 1:21 am

EzraS wrote:

Proud to be bipolar: https://djbooth.net/features/2018-06-04-kanye-west-bipolar-disorder-superpower
Proud to be gay: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_pride
Proud to be American: https://youtu.be/ox4IRQVGsBU

I guess the common theme is that there are prejudices/stigma/perceived injustice out there (that's true even for, say, hate groups, white supremacists, etc.). So, people grab an identity. It's always a bit of us-vs-them. In absence of a "them," people wouldn't feel a need to be proud of an identity. No one would say: "I am proud to be a human," because, who are you going to brag that to?

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eikonabridge
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10 Jun 2018, 1:52 am

Kraichgauer wrote:

I'd be more careful. After I have researched more into bipolarity recently, things have become more clear to me. Many cases that I used to think were ASD, have turned out to be bipolar.

For instance, if you look into H.P. Lovecraft's life, you'll find:http://thingsyoushouldknowbynow.tumblr.com/post/52802348304/hp-lovecraft
... Born August 20, 1890 in Providence, Rhode Island to Sarah and Winfield Lovecraft,...
... Sarah began to fall more into madness herself, and in 1919, she was committed to the same institution that her husband had died in. Her diagnosis was hysteria and depression, probably more Bipolar Disorder or Manic Depression, as “hysteria” is not an actual condition, but was considered to be so at the time.

For Robert E. Howard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2MwAy6njlM, in a comment by "spiritscar":
...Robert E Howard was a bipolar manic depressive who committed suicide at the age of 30. Some of you feel this performance is over the top. Bipolar manic depressives behavior is exactly that, over the top. If their behavior wasn't abnormal, well they wouldn't have a problem would they?...

For Thomas Ligotti: http://www.teemingbrain.com/interview-with-thomas-ligotti/
TL: This is going to be a boring response because I haven’t anything writerly to say about this matter...
... These themes just naturally come to the fore when I’m experiencing some especially intense or unpleasant episode in my life. Pain is my muse, so to speak. By 2001, my psychological status was that of bipolar depression. In 2002, my depression let up for a month, and I went into a hypomanic phase.

So, no, your examples likely fall on the side of bipolarity, not autism spectrum. Yes, I know, there are people that have both. But major depression (to the point of committing suicide) plus artistry, usually lands you on the bipolar side. Like ASD, bipolarity is heavy on genetic component.

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Kraichgauer
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10 Jun 2018, 2:27 am

eikonabridge wrote:

Kraichgauer wrote:

I can attest personally that depression and anxiety accompanies autism. I don't doubt co-morbidity of bipolar manic depression with autism with these individuals, but I have no doubt that autism was a factor in those authors in question who have since passed away, and with those who are still with us.
Also, Actress Daryl Hannah is on the autistic spectrum, as are Crispin Glover, and Vincent D'Onofrio. Autistics have made their mark on the arts.

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LoveNotHate
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10 Jun 2018, 3:37 am

Temple Grandin often says in her public autism speeches, "We need autistics because they see the details".

It's cool, like a "sixth sense" ...

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XFilesGeek
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11 Jun 2018, 10:26 am

Kraichgauer wrote:

eikonabridge wrote:

Kraichgauer wrote:

I'm autistic, and I'm much better at art than I am math/science.

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Kraichgauer
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11 Jun 2018, 5:02 pm

XFilesGeek wrote:

Kraichgauer wrote:

eikonabridge wrote:

Kraichgauer wrote:

I'm autistic, and I'm much better at art than I am math/science.

I'm a published writer, but I couldn't do a higher math equation to save my life.

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