One, people really are often proud of (or not ashamed of) their so-called defects, and it’s not self-delusion. But it’s not because they’re viewing themselves as “defective,” it’s because it’s how they are. Most humans are not ashamed of being human, even though it means their body doesn’t work the way other animals does (this has some positives and some negatives attached for humans, so one could say it’s a “defect” compared to other animals, or one could say it’s a “strength”, but in reality it’s really neither, it’s just what humans are).

Two, in the oversimplistic worldview that divides things up into abilities and deficits in a very standard way, they’re finding that autism isn’t a social deficit, it merely causes those as a by-product, and seems to mostly be based on being able to do something non-autistic people can’t do. But, as I said in the radio interview (but was edited out), that’s not, I think, the basis for our lack of inferiority.

But it’s fine that you said it. Frankly I was expecting truly mean responses, which yours is not. I just don’t agree with yours, either for autism or other so-called defects. Of course I look at these things as human variation, so I’m not going to agree with ability/deficit models of human variation in general. (I also don’t really see myself as “proud of” being autistic, but I certainly don’t view there as being anything inherently wrong with being autistic, and I certainly do see being autistic as a good thing, if you’re autistic. Being non-autistic is a good thing, if you’re not autistic.)

I’m not dx’d and I cringe and get a sinking gut feeling about approaching a *specialist* again, these things have not gone well for me in the past.

I do have a son who is dx’d with AS, another son whom I did not raise who has been dx’d with AS, Plus two other kiddo’s who definately have ASD related stuff…stims, Auditory processing difficulties, etc… I have difficulty with speaking up at support groups for my kids and saying that I have an ASD, perhaps because its not *official* or because I have been told I *function too well to be dx’d*. Argh.

Kerry

Autism Movement Seeks Acceptance, Not Cures

Yes, I would have preferred more of your voice, but what was included was excellent.

Most of what I said in the conversation didn’t make it onto there, but I expected that, since it was fitting interviews with over three different people into a 15-minute show. What did make it into there was okay, but of course they edited out some of the clarifying nuance type statements, and I’ll probably end up blogging those eventually.