Why does telling NTs I have Asperger's make me feel shame?

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I might not get subtle social nuances; but I compensate in other ways.

I am not inferior. Neither is anybody else--unless they believe they're inferior.

People should work with what they got. And all people have the right to the same basic respect from others.

I think you're clever in some ways Aunt Blabby--in ways in which I am not clever.

In conclusion:

NOBODY IS INFERIOR BY VIRTUE OF HAVING AUTISM/ASPERGER'S.

Nor is somebody with Down Syndrome.

Nor is somebody with any sort of disorder.

Your inferiority/superiority is based upon WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT YOU GOT.

Anybody who thinks somebody is inferior because they don't get subtle social nuances has garbage in his/her mind.

You don't need to shout kraftie.

The thing is that we are not all equal and it is false to pretend we are. Our culture worships superiority. Beautiful airbrushed women, sports stars, actors, musicians, computer entrepreneurs. That's why we have award ceremonies. To honour those who are superior to the rest of us.

If having autism isn't an inferiority then why is it undesirable to have it? (And it is undesirable, if you ask me.)

I think you are taking inferior to mean of less value and this is not necessarily the case.

I wasn't shouting, I was emphasizing.

I just don't feel that autistic people are an inferior breed of people. I'm not going to win any awards---but many Aspies do win awards, it just so happens.

We have to dispense with the idea that we are defective--because we are not. We might not be good at certain important things at the most inopportune times--but we can learn to be better at these things. We musn't just be complacent in our abilities at any point in time. We can improve. And it doesn't have to come through psychotherapy, either. We can improve through our own efforts.

Is any human an "ideal specimen?"

Yep...we are the Human Breed. No doubt about that!

When I said "improve through our own efforts," I wasn't talking about pleasing other people. I was talking improving ourselves in terms of gaining knowledge, stuff like that. And improving on presenting that knowledge to other people so that we can put our best foot forward--to please US, not THEM.

I was diagnosed two years ago, at age 43, and I feel no shame whatsoever about being on the spectrum. I'm actually rather proud about the fact that I've done as well as I have managed over the course of my lifetime despite no diagnosis and no external supports outside my own family. I didn't tell a lot of people about my diagnosis for the first 6 months or so. I needed time to process and reflect on what ASD signified.

Some people react with that, "Oh, you poor handicapped man!" look. Each time I'm quick to remind them that I'm the same person they've known all along. I didn't just suddenly become helpless or something.

I emerged from that period with a much richer self-understanding. Maybe it has something to do with being well past adolescence that the social stigma doesn't exist for me. I've written a book about my experience growing up on the spectrum, so I'm about as public as one can get!

great post ^

Mod note: Once you have built up a substantial history of within-rule posting (which I am sure you are doing), you can mention your own work of this kind as long as you don't spam different forums urging members to buy it (which I am sure you won't). You could also create a brief legend about it to go at the bottom of your posts, not a total description though a simple reference to it.

I had a look at it and am happy to provide the link in this thread:

https://www.amazon.com/Never-One-Them-G ... nav-subnav

It sounds like the kind of supportive book that is in tune with the support ethos of Wrong Planet.