and that means its...
Now I know how the internet sees autistic people very well, and am aware most of the time when people use the term as an insult its only a joke, but the fact of the matter is that most people have absolutely zero idea what autism actually is and what it means to be autistic. So I'm making this thread to at least try and teach the people of OT what autism really is.
Before I begin, I want you to forget everything you think you know about autism, because the condition has a very dark past when it comes to the doctors that study it, the "charities" that support it, and the public's view of autistic people.
Technically April 2nd is autism day, but I've decided to wait longer, for hopefully obvious reasons, whoever picked that day had to have done it intentionally. Though April is still considered autism month.
I thought about posting this in General Discussion because of the serious nature of the thread, but 2 seconds later I realized that that was stupid and actually serious threads don't belong there anymore, all it is is lost G&R peeps and people posting dumb surveys.
Autism Acceptance Month
Now I know how the internet sees autistic people very well, and am aware most of the time when people use the term as an insult its only a joke, but the fact of the matter is that most people have absolutely zero idea what autism actually is and what it means to be autistic. So I'm making this thread to at least try and teach the people of OT what autism really is.
Before I begin, I want you to forget everything you think you know about autism, because the condition has a very dark past when it comes to the doctors that study it, the "charities" that support it, and the public's view of autistic people.
Technically April 2nd is autism day, but I've decided to wait longer, for hopefully obvious reasons, whoever picked that day had to have done it intentionally. Though April is still considered autism month.
I thought about posting this in General Discussion because of the serious nature of the thread, but 2 seconds later I realized that that was stupid and actually serious threads don't belong there anymore, all it is is lost G&R peeps and people posting dumb surveys.
"Why do you care about autism Wither?"
I've mentioned before that I am socially disabled, well I am self diagnosed autistic. Now that may turn your head, who am I to diagnose myself? well, one I'm a poor American, so healthcare isn't something I have much of and mental disorders/disabilities aren't exactly something the government cares enough about to help pay for, especially for adults.
At this point I've done so much research about autism that I can confidently say I know more about it than most doctors. I've looked around in many autism/Asperger's communities and have found my self fitting in so well its scary. Autism is the only label I've been able to find that accurately describes the way I experience the world. Maybe Ill get into my symptoms If people ask me, but this thread is already long enough. Please, don't treat me any differently, I've been reluctant to ever tell people online about this as I have no idea if they unironically see autism the way 4-chan does, or the way suburban moms do. I would prefer to not be ridiculed or babied, I am an adult and wish to be treated as such. I would hope that I've proved at this point that I'm not stupid either.
At this point I've done so much research about autism that I can confidently say I know more about it than most doctors. I've looked around in many autism/Asperger's communities and have found my self fitting in so well its scary. Autism is the only label I've been able to find that accurately describes the way I experience the world. Maybe Ill get into my symptoms If people ask me, but this thread is already long enough. Please, don't treat me any differently, I've been reluctant to ever tell people online about this as I have no idea if they unironically see autism the way 4-chan does, or the way suburban moms do. I would prefer to not be ridiculed or babied, I am an adult and wish to be treated as such. I would hope that I've proved at this point that I'm not stupid either.
What is Autism?
Autism is a developmental disability that affects the way people experience the world, move, communicate, and socialize.It is a spectrum of symptoms and no two autistic people are affected by autism in the same way. Here's a post later on in this thread detailing these symptoms: community/forums/topics/1291040?start=8022838
It is only a disability because the world is built for neurotypical people, and autistic people have different needs.
Autistic people are different, not less.
What is Autism not?
Autism =/= RetardIt can be comorbid with intellectual disabilities, but an individual's IQ, and capacity to learn has no bearing on their autism diagnosis.
Autism does not only affect young white boys.
Children with autism grow into autistic adults, women can have autism, and people of any ethnicity can be autistic. The numbers that say otherwise are because of under diagnosis, and as doctors become better at diagnosing other demographics the gap has been narrowing.
Autism cannot be cured. It affects the way the brain fundamentally interacts with the world and changing that would be like trying to change someone's personality, we don't know enough about the brain to even attempt to do so and the ethical implications are questionable
Heres a couple resources to learn more if you are interested:
https://autismacceptance.com
https://autisticadvocacy.org/
https://www.reddit.com/r/aspergers
(reddit link Ik but these are actual autistic people sharing their experiences and that is a valuable resource.)
Charities
I mentioned that some of the charities that support autistic people aren't the best, and none quite live up to this awful legacy as Autism Speaks does.TL;DW: Autism Speaks only focuses on the families of autistic people not the children themselves, are looking for a cure that doesn't exist, are a big reason Antivaxxers think vaccines will give children autism, pretend autistic adults don't exist, and have absolutely zero autistic representation in their ranks. They also have put out awful ads that demonize autistic children and are like a big part of why autism has such negative connotations.
Here's the ad mentioned in the video on it's own.
Here's a list of actually good charities: https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisprograms.com/best-autism-charities/
Autism is still not very well understood by the public and even most doctors, and hopefully this changes In the near future. If you have any questions ask and I'll do my best to answer. I personally don't take offense to the autism jokes the internet like to use, but I would appreciate it if you could keep them out of this thread.
wew long thread. at least its better than that blank one yesterday... inb4 people get mad at me for not keeping OT a shitposting haven.