Asperger's and Being Considered "Disabled"

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I think AS comes with exceptional abilities as well as social drawbacks. It seems to me to be a tradeoff. You get less social skills and group mentality ability, but in return you can be highly focused and an independent thinker. You can also develop unique sets of abilities thanks to spending less time socializing, but more time working on your talents.

When I did an online job application, it asked if I was disabled so I said yes and two days later I was called for a phone interview--obviously they have a quota to meet for disabled employees.

I went to an agency which helps people with disabilities find jobs and they could not find me a paying job...

If processing speed were the ultimate judge of intelligence then computers would be smarter than humans because computers can process information faster. Human intelligence is based on a neural network with intelligence based on the number of interconnections between neurons. Also an autistics ability to socialize is based on whether or not the neurotypical is tolerant of autistic behavior. If neurotypicals learn to be tolerant towards autistics it will be discovered that autistics have great social gifts.

I had the opportunity to meet John Elder Robison and he summed up how I view AS.

There are two parts of AS. There is the autistic mind, and the disability of autism.

There is nothing wrong with the autistic mind and that does not need to be cured (unless someone wants to be cured).

But there is a disability. It varies in intensity but it's there.

the OP does make a good point though, if people want it not to be a disability, would they be willing to cut off their SSDI checks?

Neurotypicals regard autism as a disability because they are intolerant of autistic people and want autistics fired from their jobs. So if that is the case autistics are entitled to their disability checks. If and when neurotypicals become more tolerant of autistics and are willing to end their employment discrimination against autistics then a disability check would no longer be required. As far as a safety net other programs would be useful such as unemployment insurance.

Arthritis is a bad analogy. Autism is only a disability because society discriminates against autistics. When society stops discriminating against autistics than autism will no longer be a disability. As far as a disability checks these will not be needed because autistics will actually have greater opportunities than nuerotypicals when we live in a discrimination free society. other forms of social safety nets can be constructed that are not based on disabilities.