Sometimes, people use the word "autistic" in a derogatory way. This upsets me, but I'm not sure whether or not I should act to stop it when it happens.
There's debate about whether or not autistic people have something wrong with them. I don't feel that I have anything wrong with me. As is the case with anyone, there are some things I can't do and some things that I need help doing. It's just that many of these things are things that other people naturally do easily, such as reading faces or guessing what someone might be thinking. There are lots of small limitations on the ways I can interact, and at times it feels like I find a new limitation every day, but I don't feel wrong. I just feel different.
Using the word "autistic" in a derogatory way isn't very nice. We're not jokes or monsters. But people say things that are not nice all the time and nothing is going to make them stop. Even if we stop them from saying one hurtful thing, they will continue saying other hurtful things, and they will also come up with new hurtful things to say. You can only do so much to control how people use language. On the other hand, it's worthwhile trying to spread understanding and to encourage people to be nicer to each other. So I don't know what to do.
There's debate about whether or not autistic people have something wrong with them. I don't feel that I have anything wrong with me. As is the case with anyone, there are some things I can't do and some things that I need help doing. It's just that many of these things are things that other people naturally do easily, such as reading faces or guessing what someone might be thinking. There are lots of small limitations on the ways I can interact, and at times it feels like I find a new limitation every day, but I don't feel wrong. I just feel different.
Using the word "autistic" in a derogatory way isn't very nice. We're not jokes or monsters. But people say things that are not nice all the time and nothing is going to make them stop. Even if we stop them from saying one hurtful thing, they will continue saying other hurtful things, and they will also come up with new hurtful things to say. You can only do so much to control how people use language. On the other hand, it's worthwhile trying to spread understanding and to encourage people to be nicer to each other. So I don't know what to do.
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