Wow. I don't know where to start...he's put many things into words that I've been trying to figure out how to say for months. (The problem with most of the autism essays I try to write seems to be that someone else can always say it more concisely and more intelligibly than I can.) I was trying to write something about my frustration with the way some people who identify with the Asperger label are quick to say that Aspies are not a disorder but a special kind of genius, make lots of contributions to humanity, are logical and clear-thinking, etc, while those who are non-Asperger autistics are still considered on some level to be 'sick'-- they don't have a special kind of genius, they're the ones who can't communicate, they're the ones who need help so it's ok to put them in ABA and instititions, not like us. This is part of why I tend to isolate myself from any kind of autism community, along with the constant fights over the defining line between Asperger syndrome and autism, the "NTs are so horrible!" rants from people displaying the same kind of prejudices they're making accusations of, and the expectation that you should be some kind of super-genius (as our culture defines genius, anyway) or at least have some exceptional talent-- everything the author touched upon in the essay, pretty much.
I still want to be an advocate, but it's frustrating when many in the community don't seem to share your ideals. I've run into the same thing in the multiple community-- very few people seem to want the things I want, or if they do, they're not speaking up about it.
I still want to be an advocate, but it's frustrating when many in the community don't seem to share your ideals. I've run into the same thing in the multiple community-- very few people seem to want the things I want, or if they do, they're not speaking up about it.
Yeah.
I think (and I'm pretty sure Joel thinks) that there are actually a number of people who do notice this stuff and are fed up with it but aren't very vocal. I am very glad that Joel finally wrote about it, though, because I've had a lot of trouble trying to write similar things myself.
high IQ is overrated. I score ridiculously high, embarassingly high, even, on the IQ tests, but I just spent ten minutes in a dark kitchen turning around in circles because I couldn't remember how to turn on the light. I have lived here for months and months and turn that light on and off multiple times a day.
bah
more coherant opinions later, I just didn't want to forget that lovely illustrating vignette in my life
I still want to be an advocate, but it's frustrating when many in the community don't seem to share your ideals. I've run into the same thing in the multiple community-- very few people seem to want the things I want, or if they do, they're not speaking up about it.
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Yeah.
I think (and I'm pretty sure Joel thinks) that there are actually a number of people who do notice this stuff and are fed up with it but aren't very vocal. I am very glad that Joel finally wrote about it, though, because I've had a lot of trouble trying to write similar things myself.
I get really sick of elitism.
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bah
more coherant opinions later, I just didn't want to forget that lovely illustrating vignette in my life
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