Saying NO to the "A" word

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When someone including the media calls me "autistic" I say no and object. At an awareness fundraiser once people said hey look he's autistic. I feel by my accepting that as an identity I accept all that goes with it because it's now like my name. Originally there was something called autistic disorder. I like the new idea of ASD's because it does not imply a identity. Having autism differs slightly then saying I'm autistic because your saying thats more of who you are rather then just being labeled with something.

My identity has nothing to do with a diagnoses label by choice and no one has rented space on my forehead or the rest of me to market a pathological term in society. Saying an individual has autism when only needed I think is more respectful and has nothing to do with abortion politics or cure politics like others have made up in anger saying it denotes symtoms can be seperated from a person. A label is a set of symptoms but I am far more then that and those symptoms I can choose to have treated or not which I do choose them to be and I want nothing to do with abortion politics other then saying change the law if you feel so strongly about that by voting and not stigmatizing for that purpose.

Last edited by ci on 24 Mar 2011, 9:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I love that approach. If they point and say he's autistic... walk right up to them and correct them.

"No, I'm not autistic. I'm ci. Glad to meet you."

It does force people to rethink how subtle and ingrained bias runs even in the most 'accepting' people.

The newest strategy I have is just saying I'm Nathan Young and that will do when people say it. However in media that's part of autism awareness. Saying Nathan Young has autism to me is more polite. I don't like the saying "local autistic runs employment program" for instance. In future awareness after the official launch of the Humboldt Includes campaign the saying individual with autism or even no connotation to me and or a disorder label.

"No, I'm not autistic. I'm ci. Glad to meet you."

I'd say I happen to have autism but my name is Nathan Young.

You are not your disorder... it is a message more people need to hear and incorporate. *like*

Well that is dandy..

I don't vote in biased polls.

On the other hand if the poll met your bias then you would vote. It's about respecting the choice of individuals who are labeled on how they desire to be portrayed. I've studied much of the sociology of this. My bias is having an opinion that does not fit well with another kind of bias. The only unbiased poll is does 1+1=2 and the alike. Is that true or false. Bias does not become void simply for reasons of popularity.

Nor is truth found socially when professionals are pressured by pride and their special interest organization. The label is a disorder label. I'm asking please stop calling me and others it to entrap us in it to ingrain our mind awareness into it more. It's about the freedom to choose, be respected and the respect for individuality when one just happens to have a disability.

Last edited by ci on 24 Mar 2011, 9:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Actually, I'm inclined to go with your views on this. I just refuse to vote in a biased poll that basically puts the opposition down.

Bad form, man. Bad form.

I updated my reply to you.

Also I am not putting anyone down. I am disagreeing. I have the right to disagree and what opposition does typically is take things to personally to get it's way. That's another opinion. I want facts and I don't want to be harassed by pride folk for thinking differently like myself and others have been. Though people have the right to harass when said harassment is not really harassment.

Last edited by ci on 24 Mar 2011, 9:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

You're forcing anyone that votes to either say you're right or they are buttholes.

I'd say that's biased.

I didn't vote either... I felt it needed a more neutral third option to encompass both sides and the middle. I usually don't subscribe to an 'all or nothing' opinion of anything. I see many shades of grey.

I never called anyone that name. The OP is with my original opinion and I don't know anyone else's opinion until they interject which is the intent of a forum. So what might the third option be and I will start another one?

People that disagree with this view have called me ignorant, stupid, dumb and so on who prefer being called autistic man for instance.

Last edited by ci on 24 Mar 2011, 9:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

No, you didn't call them buttholes, but you might as well have.

I'm not big on labels unless they help us get assistance we need, but I would never presume everyone that was for labels was insensitive to how others felt. You obviously do presume this... and your poll reflects that.

Either way, you have consistently shown an inability to connect with reality so I'm not going to reply further.

Now your denoting I am delusional not to connect with reality and have thought I was being insensitive when others were not even aware of this when the post was about making others aware of my preference. If I had been insensitive I would have told the people in person don't stigmatize me your discriminating but I've always been polite. When I talk to the media about it I do so politely as well. So I don't think you are getting my reality but you are definitely connected to your reality. It's hard not to assume when awareness has been this way and if you had been thinking I would be angry at you then I don't mean to imply that.

okay... does this mean I'm a butthole or not?

Like everyone has one they also have opinions. This is the only saying I know that can meet this interesting assumption. Although I don't particularly feel to say this statement in context to this conversation now nor had thought prior.