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Autism IS a Disability

Joshua the Writer

Joshua the Writer

Very Nerdy Guy, Any Pronouns
V.I.P Member
I don't like the sayings, "autism is a superpower" or "autism isn't a disability it is a different ability."

I feel like this invalidates people who aren't quite comfortable with being Autistic or Autistic people who feel as though their ASD has more negative than positive impacts or those who feel as though their diagnosis has an equal amount of positive and negative effects.

I understand these sayings have positive intentions and are meant to empower Autistic people, but it just kinda comes off as inspiration porn to me despite being originally from the Autistic community.
 
I completely agree. I'm gifted in some ways and disabled in other ways. I think I break even, at least, and much of the time I think it's a net positive BUT there are definitely things that I can't do well and that has a marked negative effect on my life.
 
One issue is that to include everyone with any kind of autism in one sentence is likely to lead to problems. It's such a varied spectrum. For some autism is unquestionably a disability. For others, well, they may not feel that it is.

Also, a lot of what is disabling to people can be in the environment, I mean customary arrangements and expectations in schools and workplaces for example, and the attitudes of others. That's where a difference can be turned into a disability.
 
Thinx said:
One issue is that to include everyone with any kind of autism in one sentence is likely to lead to problems. It's such a varied spectrum. For some autism is unquestionably a disability. For others, well, they may not feel that it is.

Also, a lot of what is disabling to people can be in the environment, I mean customary arrangements and expectations in schools and workplaces for example, and the attitudes of others. That's where a difference can be turned into a disability.
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Currently, how I feel about my Autism is complicated.
 
Agreed totally, what really gets me is when people call it a disease or say they will pray for a cure. I wish I could get away with living in such a fantasy world. (No offense if anyone is religious). To me saying things like that make it totally obvious to me that the person speaking has absolutely no autism awareness.
 
There are lots of pluses, but I'm disabled enough to not be able to hold a job or have normal human relationships. That is the very definition of disabled.
 
Yes. I also think that people view disability as awful. Really it just means I can't do things many others can. But I am not awful or bad or wrong or broken i'm just disabled. I think the people who say those things about autistic people are just afraid of disability and what that concept means for us and for them. Really it means the same as what they are saying but with the sugar coating taken off. No need to be afraid of disability! It's just our reality.
 
Mia said:
Have always thought of the 'superpower' leitmotif as something positive for young children to consider themselves. Most adults don't think in that way, as we've lived with autism throughout our lives and have learned to cope somewhat with it. And know what the difficulties are. But it may depend on where on the spectrum you are, what you have access to in terms of aids and how you think of yourself in general.
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The only real "superpower" also a curse is my sense of hearing. It's helped me and also harmed me throughout my life. Mostly it's harmful recently. Back in my hunting days though, it gave me an advantage a lot of other people didn't have.
 
In our family, it is the co-morbids (not the autism) of ASD2 & 3 that are the disabilities.

I was around gifteds before I was diagnosed with [ASD1]. Non-ASD gifteds have very similar issues to ASD1s, so you can't so much call them disabilities. They are (both) certainly abnormalities, though.
 
I don't think it is an either/or or zero-sum proposition. Stating my ASD gives me strengths, does not change the challenges of it either. ASD is complex and we need to recognize that complexity and the complexity of the lived experience of each individual. Each framework describing ASD has their place yet none is definitive.
 
Major Tom said:
There is no "curing" my son who has ASD-3 into becoming an ASD-2 or ASD-1. That's just reality.
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I know what you mean. I am the guardian of my ASD3 daughter (26). I am just saying that they are separate.

I believe that she inherited my ASD1, but it made her susceptible to a neonatal brain injury that changed her severity level. The latter isn't curable, but if we would have correctly anticipated that injury, it could have been prevented. I have an ASD2 son with a similar back story.

I have, at least, two ASD1 children and a family history that was likely ASD1, but no evidence ASD2s or 3s.

Do you have any ASD2s or 3s in your family history? (They'd be easy to spot.)
How about (possible) ASD1s?
 
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I guess l am lucky. My daughter has some limitations but l never had to label or search out for her. We stumbled and climbed out of the rabbit hole together. The game changer- trying to empower her any way l could.
 
Being disabled means more likely to be poor which means being excluded from lots of things. Example: If you do not make a certain amount, you cannot buy into the health care exchanges. You must take Medicaid. Yet, Medicaid turns into a loan at age 50. So being disabled sets you up for a lot more than just the disability. If ASD disables, it's terrible. If it doesn't, it's a good thing. But don't quote me on it. I am conflicted.
 
SDRSpark said:
Not all "support" type groups and pages are supportive unfortunately. Some are incredibly toxic.
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Yeah. I have unjoined it (Reddit doesn't auto unjoin you from a subreddit).

Probably not a good choice to join to begin with because I am currently confused on how I feel about my ASD.

I also didn't like their focus on the political activism side of things.
 
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