Autism is Great!
Not being autistic is also pretty cool. I've enjoyed it. But I would not want to live in a world without autistic people. I would like to live in a world where they are better understood and even *gasp* valued as equal members of society and not victims of tragedy.
From that day forward, he decided to challenge the disease model underlying most autism research. "I wanted to go as far as I could to show that their perception - their brains - are totally different." Not damaged. Not dysfunctional. Just different.
Wired Article: The Truth About Autism
HELL YES!
My experience leads me to believe that autism is a brain difference that -- while it often makes life difficult -- is not itself a disability and is often really neat. My experience is that of a parent, not an autistic person, but there are many autistic people who agree. Life is often difficult for autistic people and caretakers. My family has a hard time of things in ways that other families don't. But the autism itself, the whole manner of thinking is not disability.
Autistic people are not broken versions of typicals, the are whole versions of themselves.
From that day forward, he decided to challenge the disease model underlying most autism research. "I wanted to go as far as I could to show that their perception - their brains - are totally different." Not damaged. Not dysfunctional. Just different.
Wired Article: The Truth About Autism
HELL YES!
My experience leads me to believe that autism is a brain difference that -- while it often makes life difficult -- is not itself a disability and is often really neat. My experience is that of a parent, not an autistic person, but there are many autistic people who agree. Life is often difficult for autistic people and caretakers. My family has a hard time of things in ways that other families don't. But the autism itself, the whole manner of thinking is not disability.
Autistic people are not broken versions of typicals, the are whole versions of themselves.