I dont think Aspergers is a disability.

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I think its the "normal" people who disable [u]us.[/u] They are the ones who arent smart enough to cope with our differences, and therefore they make it hard for us. Ive just about had it with these NTS pushing us around, labeling us and treating us like inferior human beings. Sometimes I wish that we were treated better. I dont think we should take this anymore

Anyway, yes... Returning to wrongplanet. Ive had alot of GCSE coursework to do and ive been really busy.

I do think ignorance on the subject of autism, and sometimes downright prejudice or fear of anything that's different, is a factor that makes it more difficult for a lot of us to move through society. At the same time, I have experienced, growing up among relatives who came to understand what autism meant, and among classmates who each had a greater or lesser 'disability', that even a relatively understanding and comfortable environment didn't change the fact that I did have trouble with social interaction that a non-autistic person would not have had-- I'm proud to say I've learned since my childhood and continue to learn, however. I have Asperger syndrome, and I DO consider it a disability in my case, but the knowledge that I can make up for it is quite exciting because I view it as a challenge.

Labels do annoy me... after telling someone I'm autistic I quite often have to prove that I can handle myself pretty well in the world, but it's not like I get a lot of crap either.

I agree with your point of view. I used to be on the "let's try to be friends" side but unfortunately that's only delusional, much better keeping as much distance as possible.

I'd rather die than tell people. My AS is none of their business and if someone who heard a rumor think he can forcibly use it against me I will destroy him or the weakest link in his family/friendship circle even if that person is completely innocent. I will do anything to hurt and humiliate those who draw attention to my AS. I did so with many teachers. One special AS teacher had to go on sick leave after I kicked her in the crouch. This was after a long, patronizing "you are so wonderfully unique, a truly adorable little aspie pet yada yada". She never expected her innocent little "pet" to kick her in the private parts. All of a sudden she just went silent, her eyes turned red, her mouth became a thin line and she ran out of the room, without a word.

That's how I used to repay people who mentioned AS in front of me. These days I will just break them mentally or post abominable lies about them and their family on a blog.

I view any mentioning of it as a severe violation of my integrity. A violation which calls for retaliation.

Being diagnosed with AS has been the single most traumatic thing of my life. The scars can never truly heal.

Have you tried other ways of dealing with social situations besides violence?

Likewise, schizophrenia isn't a disability, because their ability to brain-storm is vastly increased. It's like a one-man team! *sarcasm*

I agree that we are disabled by people's actions, but to suggest that 100% of our disabilities are caused by other people is just wishful thinking. We need to stop trying to separate our autism from our comorbids. Whatever caused me to be autistic, also caused my time agnosia, my prosopagnosia and my bpd. Would i choose to be autistic given a choise? of course i would, it's part of who i am. That doesn't make it a purely good thing however.

Ooh, this is interesting!

I never considered myself disabled. Then I had a daughter dxed as having AS. Then I read all about it and recognized myself. Then I sought a psych and now *I* have an AS dx, too. I can see how it limits my daughter's social interactions. Looking back, I can see how it affected mine, too. I can't see it *now*... only in hindsight.

For me I find it a disability in that there's a major area that I don't do well in: employment. I can't take office politics. I took the more boring, well-below-my-abilities jobs until the day I went on maternity leave. I haven't worked since. It's been since 2002. I am actively seeking disability benefits so that we don't go broke due to my nature. My husband also has AS and is forever bouncing from one job to the next. I've never been able to last at a job for any longer than a year.

But I hear you. I believe we're wired *differently* and not *wrongly*.

Many people in these forum claims to have the same (or more) difficulties dealing with other Aspies than with NTs.

Great idea. Blame our problems on other people.

Last edited by Spokane_Girl on 19 May 2009, 6:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

it is not a disability - nt's have brain differences too - they are just better at hiding them. nt's do so many silly weird things that are bad for them - like drink alcohol. i don't drink or gamble and that's mostly cuz of my aspie brain i'm also a good person unlike many nt's and a heck of a good christian. nt's suck as far as i am conerned - they have a lot to learn from us aspies.

we are disabled....and its not because that's how the, "NT's", have labeled us. Disabled is a state of being....for some, it could change over time, for others, it never will. I am disabled because I have limitations that I cannot change.....period.
Disabled isnt necessarily a bad thing, its a misunderstood thing. For instance, while you are complaining about the NT's labeling you as disabled, you forget that, so are they....by their limitations in being able to understand and cope with out differences. The difference is, is they are additionally disabled in that, they dont see that they dont understand, that not being able to cope/comprehend the challenges/issues we face, is a disability that is no different that us not being able to cope/comprehend the social issues that they call normal.
I do understand not liking the term, disabled, regardless of how, "truthful", it may be, and personally prefer the term, alternately enabled.

Some aspies drink alcohol too so it's not an NT thing and some of them also have disabilities. It depends how you define NT of course. Many many many people have disabilities. You can go out in public and see so many normal people you might assume are NT but not even realize lot of them also have something wrong with them such as ADHD, dyslexia, other mental condition. One of them might even have AS and you won't even know it.


Gambling also is not an NT thing. My parents don't gamble, they rarely do.

Man, you're one horrible person.

Actually you could say the reverse is true also. People with AS are not smart enough to cope with the differences in NT people. I am just playing devil's advocate as I actually think it is a mixture of both. What I actually think is that both sides should ideally to try to understand the other. Not necessarily change who they are, but just understand where the differences lie so they can be worked around if necessary.

I know many great NT people. I am in a relationship and live with someone who is neurotypical. I have NT mother, sister and brother who I love and who treat me well. Nearly all of my friends are NT and they treat me well. I try to treat them well back. I have been treated awfully by some people for being weird (particularly in school) and I think there are always going to be nasty people like that both NT and with AS. It is a human thing, not a AS/NT thing.

The main criticism I have is that the world is set up to favour NT people. But then again, the world is also set up to favour white, hetereosexual males and I am a white, bisexual female so I don't have some of those in my favour either AS is just another thing that makes things difficult, it is not the only problem I encounter in life.

I'm very open about my AS....however, I usually don't say much until I'm known for damn well getting the job done, and developing a certain factor in which people depend on me to get stuff done, and know they can rely on me.

In regards to my business--at least for now--I'm keeping my mouth shut; if it gets out, it gets out, and I'll live with it.

All of you make very interesting points.

I just find it frustrating that AS people like us are fed through the system, stamped, mailed, treated like circus freaks, and abused just because some NT's think we are "weird"