Poll 11: Autistics who don't agree with negative labels

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What do you think autistic people who do not agree that they are disabled, or have a developmental disorder or that their mentality is negative should do about the terms used by society to describe them?

Option A
They should identify as autistic and even though they don't agree, they should just go along with terms such as "brain development disorder", "serious lifelong condition", "syndrome", "disability" etc anyway without making a fuss.


Option B
They should pretend that they are neurotypical so that they don't have to hear any inaccurate negative terms towards their mentality or have to put up with people who believe that these terms are accurate descriptions pitying them.


Option C
They should identify as autistic and call for non-negative terms to be used to describe them and for statements such as "brain development disorder" to be banned because in their mind "different" does not mean the same as "disorder".


Option D
They should accept that they are disabled and have a disorder as all autistics are disabled and it is simply the subconscious self defence mechanism of their ego manifesting into the consciousness as protests that they are not defective.


Option E
I think they should do something else and have written what I think they should do below.

All of these answers require the person to either accept that they are autistic and are society is going to describe them as different or disordered, or to deny a part of themselves!

I identify as being on the Autistic Spectrum, but I certainly do not agree with "just going along" with terms that are detrimental to understanding me, nor do believe that I am "disabled," nor do I think that the term "brain development disorder" be banned! Yes, autism is a "lifelong condition," but not in the connotation that it is placed in Option A; it is an essential part of the person who is on the spectrum. No, it is not a "disability;" a disability is something that also has a very negative connotation, as it implies that everyone with that specific condition is negatively affected. I do believe, however, that Autism can be labeled as a "disorder." Compared to that of the NT mind, ours are "dis-ordered;" it is a different order from what is known as the norm.