Down with labeling people!

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I am not an Aspie, and I am not NT. I don't neatly fit into any category, and I am proud of it. It is good to know some of the reasons why I may behave the way I do, but it doesn't define me. I am not sick, and I do not need curing. I am me, and I like me.

I cannot stand labeling. It's so easy to judge people once you label them, yet it is very unjust. If someone labels you, that is no justification for labeling them. Bullying, of course, is intolerable, but that is no excuse to bully back. Hating back when you are hated is how wars start.

Believe it or not, everyone (NT, spectrum, or somewhere in between) has an amazing life story to tell. You just have to be willing to get the story out to understand them. And some may not be worth your effort. But that's okay; they are still valuable people, even if they don't feel that way to you.

Yes, but the categories are nice to have as a framework. I apparently don't fit into any one category, either, and it's like blowing in the wind. I'm neither one thing nor the other and I don't really fit anywhere.

Regards,

Patricia

Getting an autism diagnosis for my son has opened so many doors for me. He qualify's for a special, phenominal school he's going to, and has enabled me to meet many wonderful people, including those on this site. I totally get what you are saying because I worry about that kind of stuff when he gets older, but I don't believe it's always a bad thing. It can be sharing that label that can backfire, not necessarily the label itself. Of course my son is only seven, I may change that opinion as he gets older.

I will say however, that my son is the most interesting person I have ever met, and he is truely a gift to me and to this world, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Getting a diagnosis is very different from labeling. Diagnoses can provide valuable insight and are very helpful. Labeling, however, is something that you do to yourself once you have been (self-)diagnosed. Labeling is also something you to do describe people as a group who you perceive aren't like you.

Labeling is optional.

Every person is unique.

Labels are all about convenience.

Since we are going that route quickly, perhaps we should all just plaster labels all over us so that people can quickly decide if they want to get to know someone or if the person is really suited for the job.

What a wonderful and efficient world it would be then. I'm joking.

Someone mentioned how labels are dangerous. I don't think they are dangerous but can paint false stereotypes quickly and some are true but when all people know about autism is from what they see on tv, you quickly become those stereotypes which detracts from what you are as an individual.

I don't expect everyone to understand all different types of people or psychology so I don't get offended if someone asks "well why aren't you doing this as shown on tv". I did find it offensive if people came across as though I have some trophy diagnosis to defend because to me it isn't a badge nor a trophy. It just is. I am not neatly fit into stereotypical molds. Some things are stereotypical, some aren't.

I think maybe people prefer labels to keep it short. Then if someone asks questions from their memory of details pertaining to stereotypical behaviors you can explain from there otherwise it turns into (for me) if someone asks or wants to know why you seem different-

I have obsessive compulsive tendencies, sensory problems, stimmer, lack of eye contact because I am staring at your lips to make sure I understand what you are really saying, startled and get upset with being interrupted in the middle of tasks, not always talkative, zoned out, short term memory problems, direction sense is off, sensitive to some foods, upset with routine changes but can adapt just need time to work it out inside, rigid, not sure when you are joking (unless it's obvious to me) but I like to tell jokes, musically obsessed, can't remember novels but can remember short stories, like south park and monty python but not really into movies, prefer reading something I can actually apply to my life that are easy to understand when taken literally, minor clutz, laid back attitude mostly until something triggers meltdowns but have managed to learn how to diffuse it before it esculates etc...

I understand, but, on the other hand, sometimes you need a label. It helps you make sense of things, and helps others understand and accommodate you.

I guess i kind of get annoyed with the digs at those of us who are self diagnosed, as if we are all people who think it's cool to be labeled, that we're just doing it for *insert reason here*

Sometimes, labeling yourself is a positive thing. I went through so much hardship growing up, i took the fact that i rarely had friends very personally, i took my terrible social skills personally, it brought my down that i would always say the wrong thing at the wrong time... all of the many, many things that were just different about me, i took them personal. And people of course put me down for these things all my life. And i took it personal. Until i was in my 20's and i read something about Aspergers, actually i took a quiz that suggested a high likelihood of me having Aspergers... i decided to go back and answer it completely honestly instead of goofing around with it, i expected to get less likelihood, but i got more likelihood! Of course i know quiz's don't hold any water so i started reading about Aspergers to see if it did indeed explain my profound differentness and it did! The more i read, the more i understood my entire life until this point and myself now.

When i put a label on all of those things i had been put down for and all of the things that confused me about myself that i didn't know WHY i did/said those things, i was able to stop taking it all so personally, i'm not a highly intelligent idiot after all! I'm an Aspie.

No i don't go around proclaiming this! But it helps me understand me better, and that is only a positive thing. If labeling yourself doesn't work for you, more power to you, but it works for me and it has helped me and my self confidence.

I think the only time labeling people is a problem is if you start to treat someone as a label first and a person second.

I think it comes down to how you (or your parents if diagnosed as a kid) handle the label rather than the label itself. You don't have to tell everyone or anyone really except those who are going to help you or those you trust!

And the ones who treat you badly, probably would have anyway!