Yes, just as I wish people were less cruel and ignorant about people with disabilities. It is out of ignorance and deeply ingrained prejudice towards people with psychologically based disabilities (I say "psychologically based disability" to include people with developmental disorders, mental illnesses, and personality disorders and the distinction is relevant because NTs often label autistics as if they were all either just mentally ill and needing medication, or having a personality disorder and the associated stigmas that follow those disorders that have only a few similar traits.) Autism is not a mental illness or personality disorder of course, though the symptoms and environmental stressors at times lead to mental illness. People are cruel to people with Autism/Aspergers out of this ignorance. They have a narrow understanding of autism, developmental disorders, communicative disorders, and psychological disabilities in general due to lack of experience and empathy (ironically). NTs base their understanding of autism on hearsay unless they have direct experience either by being autistic themselves or caring about someone who has it.
01 Jan 2016, 9:28 am
