Treatment of High Functioning Vs Lower Functioning on W.P

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I think the poll is a little redundant and not particularly clear I agree, I have asked the mods to delete it, sorry

I have Level 2 Autism, and combined-type ADHD. I also suffered a stroke and I have Complex Trauma. My nonverbal IQ was in the fifth percentile. I've always found that this site caters primarily to people who have, or are assumed to have, Aspergers. I did share some of my life story here. It was a mixed bag of results. Anything I did or achieved positively was met with skepticism ("You can't possibly be Level 2 if you did that!") and areas where I struggled or expressed difficulty with self-regulation or emotional wellness were often misunderstood such that a few people used that information against me.

I've also noticed that the lower functioning members are often banned, whether it's a coincidence or not, or else they post infrequently seemingly because they aren't treated with the same level of respect. I've seen overt bullying against people who aren't as able as others, but I hope that trend is going to stop with the new moderation team.

I wouldn't have been diagnosed with Asperger's under any circumstances. In fact, I was diagnosed with "infantile autism" back in the 1960s. Infantile autism had no "Aspergian"-type subtype. Most people with that diagnosis would, at least, be considered for permanent institutionalization.

In some of the subfora here, intellectual debate is the norm. People use various techniques to highlight their own point of view, and to dismiss other points of view. It can get rather complex.

People on the "lower end" of the Spectrum might not have experience with this type of debate. And they might not have the ability to be subtle, which is sometimes necessary when presenting a point of view. Thus, people who are inclined towards dismissing others often dismiss and seek to "cancel" "low-functioning" people in debates, thereby making WrongPlanet not a pleasant Site for them.

People who are supposedly "low-functioning" tend to be easier to talk to when you are not feeling your best. They don't try to knock you down at every opportunity. And they have interesting viewpoints on things. I wish they were more prominent in this Site.

Good post, Korts. In my case (I think you know ) I can debate vociferously. I have a high intellectual IQ and I'm usually OK with subtlety in text. I also write well, which probably makes me seem higher functioning than I am. I think that confuses people, so I often have to remind people my executive and coping skills are weak. My primary difficulty is that I shut down or melt down from the emotional demands of interpersonal relationships, particularly in disagreements.

I've seen others "cancelled" or dismissed exactly as you describe, some for their spelling and sentence structure, some for their limited life experience or lack of confidence, and many for their perceived lack of effort to improve challenges such as sensory processing disorder, depression, anxiety, trauma, mood disorders or agoraphobia - to name a few. There was thinly-veiled ableism on this forum, and I'm still testing the waters to see if it's improved.

One solution....is to counter the ableism within the thread where it's occurring. Otherwise, the context is lost.

Gently contradict what the "ableist" is saying.

For example----say that "some people" can overcome a certain thing, but that others try very hard, but are not able to. Also mention that one cannot tell how a person "functions" via forum posts.

I don't believe many people who say "ableist" things mean to be "ableist." It's more possible that they haven't experienced some of the difficulties which a certain person might have experienced. Thus, I wouldn't dismiss a person saying "ableist" things as being an "ableist." I would educate such a person. Use dialogue rather than diatribe.

How do we make the validation and support of struggling members the rule rather than the exception?

The members who invalidate and belittle the OP's state do it in such a way that they are not actually breaking the rules but do manage to break the OP's spirit.
I agree that it is more often than not unintentional when it occurs. I sincerely hope so.