I can't be myself with my "mommy friends"

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I can't be myself with my "mommy friends" because some of the other mothers in the group have kids who "suffer" from Autism or who "used to be autistic but act totally normal now!" When they talk about Autism, my advice and opinions are not respected at all because I don't think that being Autistic is tragic or needs to be cured, even if it makes life more difficult sometimes. I even cite sources for everything I say and they don't ever cite anything, but somehow they're right and I'm wrong.

I thought it'd be ok to be friends and just agree to disagree, but they talk about Autism a lot. Sometimes they say really outlandish things like vaccines cause Autism or how their kids will never move out or get married or have a job or do anything based only on how their little kid functions today. I can't listen to this ridiculousness and not say anything. I don't know what to do because I don't have many friends so I want to keep my friends, but I don't feel like I can be myself with them. If I ask them to stop talking about Autism, they'll kick me out of the group because the other mothers' need to talk about how miserable they are with their children's Autism is more important than my feelings not being hurt.

Do you have reason to stay involved with this group? Is your kid comfortable there or attached to any of the other kids involved?

If not, then have you looked up groups for ASD adults on Meetup.com or some other site? You are bound to find other spectrum adults with spectrum kids there who ought to have a healthier viewpoint than the one you are getting from this current group. That will be better for both you and your son to not absorb any more of that negativity from your current group. An ASD adult group may not have a separate group for their ASD kids but that may be because they don't see the need for themselves to talk about their kids as if their kids have problems.

Sounds like your present circle of friends are a bit close minded to your insights - I agree with QuiversWhiskers in that you might want to look for a new group of friends to hang out with. As you're certainly aware, many people on the spectrum go on to lead fulfilling lives in adulthood.

I prefer to be around "glass half full" as opposed to "glass half empty" people myself.

Whenever any of my mom's friends show up for a visit, I just hide in my room and pretend they're not there, even though this leads to my mom telling me off for not "being social." I have every right to act the way I want and if I'm forced into behaving a way I don't want to, I feel like I'm being manipulated.

@ OP: The best thing you can do is to stop hanging out with these people for some time. If these people want you back, just tell them that you'll do so only under one condition...that they'll listen to you.