most annoying aspergers myth!

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my personal favorite is that we are physically weaker than others... this is bull, for a woman of my height and weight i would say i am stronger than most. (can lift and carry a large t.v. without struggle, can do several pull/push ups, pick up others) i also have a very muscular (yet still femenine) build. this isn't my observation others have told me this. what myth annoys you most?

Did You Think I Can't Feel?

I haven't heard the "physically weaker" thingy. I go to the gym a lot, so I know I'm not weak XD

Most annoying Aspy myth for me is that we all excel at STEM.

That we all live in our mother's basements and play video games all day.

I personally get most annoyed by how most people don't believe I have AS because I am not male and am not the stereotypical, "textbook" case. Just because I am able to "fake" being socially acceptable well enough to usually be seen as simply "quirky," that automatically means I don't have AS? I get so sick of people not "believing" me after they've talked to me for five minutes. Even psychiatrists.

And on the subject of the male stereotypes, I also am annoyed by the predominant FEMALE Asperger's stereotypes out there. I get so sick of hearing how females' special interests tend to not be technology- or science-related. While I do believe there are some definite differences in how AS manifests itself in males and females, I don't buy Atwood's claim about females' special interests whatsoever.

I don't think that "physically weaker" is accurate -- I'm fairly strong in my arms too, not so much in my legs -- but some people have less physical co-ordination and so cannot utilise that strength as well.

The one that pees me off, as a writer, is "lacks imagination". I know of many aspies with extremely good imaginations. And for my part I think of imagination as my greatest asset.

This stereotype is one that particularly bugs me, too. I believe that, at least in my case, my great capacity for imagination is something that shows how my type of AS is more NVLD-like than autism-like.

When people mistake me for Rain Man or Temple Grandin.

That we are too lazy to succeed.

"Lacks imagination"

"Not interested in fiction"

Both annoy me. How a person can accept that withdrawing into an imaginary world is a common coping mechanism, then accuse those people of having a poor imagination is beyond me.

lazy

That all Aspies, at least all Aspie males, love science and science fiction.

I love English language (grammar, dialects, the older stages of the language) and classic literature, and also medieval and ancient history. I have an Arts degree with no mathematics or computer science, although I do have a major in psychology. And I would rather read and discuss Jane Austen's novels than most science fiction books. My pattern of intellectual interests is probably closer to the alleged "female Aspie" pattern of interests (another stereotype about Aspies).

This one bugs me too. I have a vivid imagination (which is admittedly better expressed through writing than it ever was through play) and can write very good fiction stories, poetry, personal essays etc, in fact my writing is my primary academic strength. Not sure how much of my imagination is inherent and how much was developed through a love of reading, but it doesn't really matter; a lot of aspies have better imaginations than people give us credit for!

Consider what you imagine. Is it 90% identical 90% of the time? That is what a "lack of imagination" is all about.

That we're emotionless mass murderers that are ready to snap at any moment is a little annoying.