Hostility toward autists on the Internet

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I think there is a fair degree of hostility on the Internet in general. People think that, by using an anonymous screen name, they can say anything they want. This site is pretty good now but, years ago, it started to become uncomfortable and I took a hiatus. One of the nastiest sites I visited was a tennis site. They said some truly nasty things about players they disliked and used offensive nicknames. They also used terms such as -tard (short for ret*d, an ugly word in my book) and called fans of certain players names like "Fedtard" (fan of Roger Federer) and "Nadaltard" (fan of Rafael Nadal). Such terms are offensive to legitimate fans of either player.

That being said, I'm not a believe in extreme "fandoms." I support my favorite players for my own personal reasons, not because I'm a member of some fanbase.

They pick it up in the way I post on forums...
I am often called a troll, but most often called a forum emo/special snowflake.
The way I write on many forums out there somehow gives them an inch into the door to insult me/attack my character and label me without fail, as having "issues"

Should have an option for "dont know" because I dont frequent many sites besides this one.

At least one site is all about autism bashing: Kiwi Farms. Our "enemy site".

But the Net as a whole? I dunno. Older folks (like my age) dont have autism on their radar screen, and thus probably dont have any real attitude about it. But the younger generations are more aware of autism, and it wouldnt surprise me that many aware enough to be hostile, but not aware enough to not be hostile (if you get what I mean).

As someone said above there is a lot of hostility in general on the Net because folks with attitudes can hide behind the anonymity.

There's a tumblr I used to follow (before i deleted my tumblr) where the author pointed out that no one ever bullied her for being "autistic". No, they would *never* do that. They bullied her for being weird, or "creepy", or unhygenic, or out of touch with current fashions. But not "autistic".

I would say that probably the majority of people on the internet (and in real life) will do the same- they will mock someone for autistic traits without recognizing the connection to autism. I would say it's the minority that openly mock autistic people, though.

I see hostility both directly and indirectly.


There's the common "don't be autistic" advice people give for dating and socialization (as if autism was something that could be turned off and on like a switch.

And I've seen cases where aspies get a little more respect when they come out with it, and then times where they still get rejected and treated harshly. Coming from people that are scumbags or people that just don't understand autism and maybe fear it? Not sure. TBH whenever I mention being on the spectrum on forums I tend to be ignored, as in people avoiding me. So I'm not someone that is "out" with their autism.
The hostility doesn't bother me as I've gotten to those years where you stop caring what everyone thinks about you.

But are most people on the internet hostile to autists? definitely not.

I don't see how anyone could have knowledge of most Internet users' attitude toward autistic people.