Update Autism diagnosis status options in profile

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I'm sure I'm not the only member who has suggested this, but the Autism diagnosis status selection in the user profiles needs an update to reflect identity-first language and current consensus among the neurodiversity community regarding the Autism spectrum. Since this is a site for all neurodivergence, maybe include options for other conditions as well?

Here are possible suggestions for options. Feel free to critique or make suggestions!

- Autistic (diagnosed)
- Autistic (undiagnosed or self-diagnosed)
- Other neurodivergent
- Not sure if autistic or not
- Neurotypical

Another suggestion is to allow users to enter our own options with a text box the same way we can specify our interests.

First, it is unlikely to happen.  Any such updates would require an overhaul of the website software, and the owner has show little interest in anything so drastic.

Second, it is un-necessary.  We know who we are and we are not our labels.

Finally, it is unlikely that anybody really reads those things once they have set up their own account.

It may be unlikely to happen given the owner not being interested, but it would not require an overhaul of the website software. It's freaking phpBB for heck sake, probably the easiest forum software to configure.


It's not necessary, but it might be handy to have displayed under our usernames in our posts. It's also not about labels but about having our identities acknowledged. I don't know if you've been keeping up with the neurodivergent community, but we identify with our autism conditions; they are part of us, the same way gender is part of who someone is. It would help provide a bit of background info on who we are. "We our not our labels" basically dismisses someone's identity. Speaking of which, we might as well be allowed to list our preferred pronouns there, too, as it also provides important background about users. If you don't like it, you are free to choose not to put that info there.


All the more reason to allow it to be displayed under our usernames in our posts.

I do not appreciate your condescending tone. Please do better or do not reply to me.

I have thought it was weird that they have options for being diagnosed/undiagnosed with Asperger's specifically, but then having ASD/classic autism/etc. is just "other autism spectrum disorder" with no diagnosis specifications. It's definitely not a huge deal, but when I signed up it did make it feel like this site isn't made for people with "other autism spectrum disorders" and that option was just thrown in.

Why is the status of our diagnoses really all that important?What "condescending" tone?  This is a displayed webpage without audio.  How could it possibly have any tone?

You again miss the point. It's not about the "status of our diagnosis". It's about what conditions we identify with. My wording in the topic title was to point out that specific option in the user settings needs to be changed.

If you don't understand that tone can be conveyed in writing [redacted]

Last edited by Cornflake on 12 Jan 2021, 6:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.: Removed personal attack

No, you can expect my replies to be honest answers to your posts, as they have always been.

Play nicely, please. No more personal attacks, Ok?

Ok.

The OP might find his concerns more appropriately addressed by communicating directly with Alex, anyway.

Sorry, I shouldn't have used that word. I was hangry at the time. I now have a meal in me.

I assumed that this sub-forum was a place to make suggestions on improving the site. I have no desperate need for the changes I mentioned. I just thought they'd make the site more tolerable for some of us, that's all. I don't know if Alex reads this sub-forum or even goes on this site anymore, or if he's delegated everything to trusted moderators.

Fair enough, sorry I assumed you'd use faulty reasoning. I guess my experience on the Internet has conditioned me to expect as much by default.

Oh, and for the record I just remembered / realized that our genders *are* listed under our usernames lol.

As I have pointed out many times before, there is always the signature line for expressing whatever one believes their true identity to be.  I just advise against providing too much detail.

On behalf of all people classified as "Other", I agree.

I'm not sure why being Autistic is considered "Other", on an Autism support site.

I agree that it would make sense to change the "diagnosis options." If that's possible.

When WrongPlanet started in 2004, it was primarily for people with Asperger's Syndrome. Now, the scope of the clientele/membership has vastly broadened. We have people with all sorts of "conditions," all sorts of "co-morbids" accompanying those "conditions," and various ways in which they want to be represented.

I, for one, will never in my life have Asperger's because of my speech delay. I am a "classic autistic" who was very fortunate that it has presented less severe than previously over the years.

I am KraftieKortie more than I am autistic or anything else----but there are some people here who want others to know that they are part of the autistic community, and feel a pride of belonging and kinship with others who are part of that community.

About Wrong Planet
Wrong Planet is the web community designed for individuals (and parents / professionals of those) with Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, ADHD, PDDs, and other neurological differences.

This is how the site is described. Was it described differently in 2004?

I just think it's peculiar to be called "Other", even if that dropdown was made in 2004.

It's not so much that I want to find kinship with other autistic people, but the options should be more accepting.

It's the same with gender choices. Those really need to be updated.