13 Sep 2018, 12:29 am
Someone today made the mistake of telling me that I "have Apserger's". I had to, once again, try to explain that I do not "have" ASD, I am an ASD. To say that I have ASD implies that ASD is a disease to be treated or cured. Saying that I have ASD is exactly the same as me going up to anyone, worldwide, and saying "I've heard that there are some good medicines out there and some promising gene therapies in r&d to cure you of that skin color". Both are genetic in nature and an integral part of what makes me me. It is every bit as offensive to me that I am being lumped in with the diseased and sick as it is to people of color, or not, to be told that their skin color is not acceptable and needs to be "cured". Further, it's rather disturbing to me that society at large, supported by medical science, would find it easier to try to modify who and what I am to make me more acceptable to them, than it would be for society to be a little more understanding or tolerant of neuro-diversity. 
Discrimination is what it is no matter which direction it cuts. /rant
ASPartOfMe
Veteran
Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,459
Location: Long Island, New York
13 Sep 2018, 1:11 am
P_James_Moriarty wrote:
Someone today made the mistake of telling me that I "have Apserger's". I had to, once again, try to explain that I do not "have" ASD, I am an ASD. To say that I have ASD implies that ASD is a disease to be treated or cured. Saying that I have ASD is exactly the same as me going up to anyone, worldwide, and saying "I've heard that there are some good medicines out there and some promising gene therapies in r&d to cure you of that skin color". Both are genetic in nature and an integral part of what makes me me. It is every bit as offensive to me that I am being lumped in with the diseased and sick as it is to people of color, or not, to be told that their skin color is not acceptable and needs to be "cured". Further, it's rather disturbing to me that society at large, supported by medical science, would find it easier to try to modify who and what I am to make me more acceptable to them, than it would be for society to be a little more understanding or tolerant of neuro-diversity. Discrimination is what it is no matter which direction it cuts. /rant
Discrimination is what it is no matter which direction it cuts. /rantWhen these language police try to correct me (usually the reason is some variation of “autistic” is offensive) I tell them I have 60 years more experience being autistic then they do so I get to decide what is offensive to me and how I self identify.
13 Sep 2018, 1:51 am
ASPartOfMe wrote:
P_James_Moriarty wrote:
Someone today made the mistake of telling me that I "have Apserger's". I had to, once again, try to explain that I do not "have" ASD, I am an ASD. To say that I have ASD implies that ASD is a disease to be treated or cured. Saying that I have ASD is exactly the same as me going up to anyone, worldwide, and saying "I've heard that there are some good medicines out there and some promising gene therapies in r&d to cure you of that skin color". Both are genetic in nature and an integral part of what makes me me. It is every bit as offensive to me that I am being lumped in with the diseased and sick as it is to people of color, or not, to be told that their skin color is not acceptable and needs to be "cured". Further, it's rather disturbing to me that society at large, supported by medical science, would find it easier to try to modify who and what I am to make me more acceptable to them, than it would be for society to be a little more understanding or tolerant of neuro-diversity. Discrimination is what it is no matter which direction it cuts. /rant
Discrimination is what it is no matter which direction it cuts. /rantWhen these language police try to correct me (usually the reason is some variation of “autistic” is offensive) I tell them I have 60 years more experience being autistic then they do so I get to decide what is offensive to me and how I self identify.
I'm not sure I understand who you mean by "they". In this case I'm being the language police, so I assume it's me. I don't care if folks call me Asperger's, ASD, or a horse's backside. All of the above would be true. But something you have is something you can get rid of. Something you are (genetically) is not. It's not a matter of how I self-identify.
13 Sep 2018, 2:37 am
13 Sep 2018, 2:58 am
13 Sep 2018, 3:31 am
13 Sep 2018, 4:33 am
13 Sep 2018, 4:56 am
13 Sep 2018, 5:13 am
13 Sep 2018, 5:21 am
13 Sep 2018, 5:37 am
13 Sep 2018, 5:53 am
P_James_Moriarty wrote:
Someone today made the mistake of telling me that I "have Apserger's". I had to, once again, try to explain that I do not "have" ASD, I am an ASD. To say that I have ASD implies that ASD is a disease to be treated or cured. Saying that I have ASD is exactly the same as me going up to anyone, worldwide, and saying "I've heard that there are some good medicines out there and some promising gene therapies in r&d to cure you of that skin color". Both are genetic in nature and an integral part of what makes me me. It is every bit as offensive to me that I am being lumped in with the diseased and sick as it is to people of color, or not, to be told that their skin color is not acceptable and needs to be "cured". Further, it's rather disturbing to me that society at large, supported by medical science, would find it easier to try to modify who and what I am to make me more acceptable to them, than it would be for society to be a little more understanding or tolerant of neuro-diversity. Discrimination is what it is no matter which direction it cuts. /rant
Discrimination is what it is no matter which direction it cuts. /rantI agree with you 100% my friend. I am also of the opinion that's when NTs refer to us ASDS as having a communicable disease or some sort of neurolytic pathogen that is spread like the Black Plague, it vexes me terribly.
Alas, there is so little education about Autism and how it affects the human body that most simply assume that it's something like a cold that we caught from someone else.
And regardless of what pronouns or syntax is used to describe our condition the fact remains, and your point is well taken P_James_Moriarty, that people believe that Autism is infectious in nature and we should be quarantined from the rest of society and of course this is rediculous.
_________________
*** High Functioning Autism - Asperger's Syndrome ***
ADHD, OCD, and PTSD.
Keep calm and stim away.
13 Sep 2018, 6:21 am
Raleigh wrote:
So, someone with OCD, for example, should say "I am an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder"?
A person should say when describing themselves whatever they feel most comfortable with. I would say 'I am
obsessive' or 'I am OCD' (it's very rarely said in full here). In the past I have described myself as suffering from
obsessive behavour but the way I feel about myself and my behavour has changed and therefor so has my language.
I accept it all as a part of the whole, not the whole, but very much a part of it.
Raleigh wrote:
"I am an Attention Deficit Disorder"?
"I am a Bipolar Disorder"?
Help me out.
Like someone else said, it doesn't compute.
Grammatically, even.
I don't have ADD or PD so I don't know. "I am a Bipolar Disorder"?
Help me out.
Like someone else said, it doesn't compute.
Grammatically, even.
Grammatically wrong?
13 Sep 2018, 6:27 am
^ thanks, fluffy.
what is concerning in this thread is that:
Quote:
Saying that I have ASD is exactly the same as me going up to anyone, worldwide, and saying "I've heard that there are some good medicines out there and some promising gene therapies in r&d to cure you of that skin color"
If in doubt
Maybe don't speak to anyone, ever.
13 Sep 2018, 6:55 am
Raleigh wrote:
^ thanks, fluffy.
what is concerning in this thread is that:
If in doubt
Maybe don't speak to anyone, ever.
what is concerning in this thread is that:
Quote:
Saying that I have ASD is exactly the same as me going up to anyone, worldwide, and saying "I've heard that there are some good medicines out there and some promising gene therapies in r&d to cure you of that skin color"
If in doubt
Maybe don't speak to anyone, ever.
I think the OP is using it as an example of how upsetting he finds someone saying he has Asperger's. It's probably
not a good example to use in conversation though because people only seem to pick up one word in three and could
easily misunderstand. Good point. Maybe also the make it clearer in the post that these are not the OP's views.
13 Sep 2018, 6:58 am
| Similar Topics | |
|---|---|
| What did you do today? |
Today, 12:50 pm |
| I'm turning 40 today :) |
27 Jan 2024, 3:52 pm |
| I learned to play chess today |
02 Apr 2024, 9:26 pm |
| What did you guys do today instead of watching the game? |
13 Feb 2024, 11:54 pm |
