What's a disability?

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I have an actual question inspired by the other thread - this thing about not speaking - or whatever the disability happens to be (mutism is an example). I understand in the case of not speaking, if somebody has to rely on somebody else to speak for them, then that's a problem - but with all these apps out to help with selective mutism - am I wrong to think that someone who doesn't speak could go out into the world and function? I think society is becoming aware enough of the fact that difference doesn't mean worse.

I was doing some reading about Down's Syndrome and found out that some people with DS can go as high in schooling as to get a master's degree. So maybe the time is coming where the word "accommodation" will stop being a dirty word, they will just be normal things we do like having a coffee pot in the workplace.

I guess my question is - not that I think people should give up anything that is difficult, but do we have to define ourselves as healthy only when we hit some obscure mark of "normal" that everybody else hits? Can we as Autistic people not be ourselves whatever that self is?

It's true that somebody who doesn't talk couldn't do my job, but hopefully they would have a job that had more personal autonomy to it anyway.

Is my perception of this off? I've been thinking about it a lot over the last few days and trying to put my thoughts into words, maybe my thinking got jumbled.

I don't think your thinking is off, no.

It would be great if non-verbal autists could flourish with apps and computers, but the real world can be very harsh. Unless you're some freakish braniac like Stephen Hawking who can mumble his way into mythical status, most of us would not be treated equally by NT employers. It's a harsh reality.

Good one! What did you do to your avatar? Now I have to get used to that one!

Oh yeah - hiya, woz.

I decided to celebrate my love of numbers. Also, I gave myself a name: "Most Rev. Aspergorium," (which literally would mean "of the Aspergers people").

If you don't like the new avatar I can find another one with a bit more pep.

It's growing on me. I Like the name too.

Unlike people, numbers are predictable. Numbers are our friends.

Oh yeah but in response to your answer to my question - I agree the world is harsh, but there are a few people on here that are non verbal that are really super smart. I think you could actually be a lawyer without speaking, I mean what is so great about verbalizing? But verbalizing is just one example - there's like really bad shyness, but that's a hard on to get around unless it's dealt with.

I'm trying to think of more examples.

Man I have too many thoughts circling around in my head tonight, I feel like a bathtub drain!

Stephen Hawking is non-verbal but he is a smart as Einstein.

I don't know about smarter than Einstein, smarter than me though. But didn't he just admit that he was wrong about his biggest success? Still, he's pretty awesome, doing all of that stuff in his head. I couldn't do it with the assistance of 6o computers.

Your post makes perfect sense in a civilised world. However the NTs decide what is "normal" not us...