Person with autism, or autistic person?

Post Reply New Topic

In other words, do you normally put the person first or the autism first when referring to someone on the spectrum?

I chose the first option.

Honestly, it doesn't matter.

this is pretty straight cut, it is only a portion of a person no the entire definition.

I do both. It depends on whether or not I'm talking to someone who knows a lot about autism with family members and/or self involved, or to someone who has heard of autism. I use people first around those who don't know much or else I will be accused of insensitivity.

yet the autism isnt a condition stuck onto a person. It's a fundamental factor in shaping the way they are. I am an autistic. I don't "have asperger's" like it's something I have.

What lelia said, because the precise label seems to matter a lot to NTs... (Then again, there are some NTs for whom it doesn't matter which label you give them, they will reject it anyway!)

Although I am not happy that I'm on the spectrum (I wish that I were not) this does not mean that I have any expectation that I will ever be "cured," nor is this particularly desirable.

In fact a lot of the moving forward since my wrestling with my diagnosis is in recognising that this underlies so much of my functioning. You do not move forward by denying it or distancing yourself, which is what the label "person with autism" tries to do. I am not saying "EMBRACE/DIVE INTO YOUR AUTISM" because that does not make you a better functioning person. But there is a lot of healing that goes on in recognising that you ARE broken and accepting it.

As much as I wish I were not on the spectrum, I find identity and comfort in my diagnosis. By calling myself "an autistic person" (in the broader sense), I am not merely labelling myself but admitting to myself that I am not perfect in many ways. This encourages me to improve, instead of merely hiding my deficits. Is not everyone, NT or not, imperfect?

In that sense, I find strength and hope for improvement in calling myself fundamentally autistic, instead of someone who has a disorder "attached."

Either way both pharses don't bother me.