Susan Boyle's diagnosis of Aspergers Syndrome, a curse?

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Does anyone else agree that the new revelation of Susan Boyle's erratic behaviour, general demeanour and much aknowledged mental health disorders, are now finally being attributed to Aspergers Syndrome, actually hinder the evolvement of AS community as a whole? I think it further damages the already tarnished reputation of AS sufferers. A selfish opinion to hold in this supposed 'age of enlightenment'? Perhaps.

The way I square it, everyone mocks, lampoons, ridicules and just uses typical derision towards SB everyday in the media. We surely don't need the label 'AS' attached to such a figure of fun. Whether good, bad or indifferent. It's another name to add to the long list of insults that NT's can and probably will call anyone who ticks the different, eccentric and loner boxes.

In my own, possibly unpopular viewpoint; this leads to the detriment of all of us. A diagnosis for SB at the expense of the current stigmatic AS society. Instead holding up a women that has thought and has been highly publicised as erroneously having 'brain damage' since being a baby. It hardly helps the image we try and convey about AS to the outside world, the true depiction how AS affects our lives.

It sounds harsh and nasty, I know it is not SB's fault. I direct my criticism against the media. The media is expected to inform and educate but what it does is glorifies and sensationalise subject matters for fun to sell more f***ing newspapers and magazines, then the TV debates and discusses the topic on top of that. It's that picture that the media paints, which shapes regular people's perception and beliefs, that are in fact thoroughly incorrect and inflammatory statements.

NT's mindsets and attitudes are skewed enough at the moment that see AS, in my experience, as the enemy within. This I find is not beneficial with the news of anyone, not such SB as having AS but defining anybody solely by their condition alone. I think this is dangerously misleading and quite simply a demonised portrayal. I would like a clear distinction that separates the fantastical misconceptions from the actual reality of living with AS, rather than having an inaccurate combined mixture of both, illustrating AS life to the wider public.

I think media needs a middle ground for autism:
autism people are either low-level handslapping,or rainman types.
or very attractive(the female model on wp),or successful,rich(bill gates)

the media needs to show average looking,typical middle class aspie.
who's not severe,weird,or very successful

I'm ambivalent about it.

She gets a lot more sh*t in the media than the poor woman deserves, they really should lay off, it's just cruel - she's not one of those emotionless narcissists like "Kimye," who don't care what nasty things you say about them, as long as you're paying attention to them.

If we're going to have a celebrity poster mascot, I'd rather it be Daryl Hannah.

I'd also like to hear Dan Ackroyd become a little more vocal as an advocate for awareness. Of course, he's been extremely fortunate, to have found a niche career at a youthful age, that has spared him from some of the more difficult survival issues that many of us have to deal with. Still, I'd be interested to hear what his experiences were like growing up, since he was diagnosed at the age of 9, at a time when few people had ever heard of Asperger Syndrome and nobody knew what the hell it was. OTOH, he may be so High Functioning that the diagnosis seems meaningless to him.

The one thing we do not need, is so many "Aspie Success Stories" that people forget it's a spectrum and just because one or two strike career gold, does not mean the rest of us aren't facing serious obstacles and handicaps.

Here's another singer with Aspergers: Ladyhawke. Read this British article that I googled just now.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-enter ... 85756.html

I don't feel so comfortable with saying we "suffer" from AS. After 25 years of figuring out why I'm different, I see it mostly as a strength.

Fundamentally, "the media" entertainment - a neurotypical form of entertainment. It's full of lies and codes and omissions and opinions and shades of grey that do not satisfy the relatively logical and less emotionally clued in Aspie. I completely ignore the news, I still get a little dose from the radio, and I don't read any magazines or watch any shows to do with celebrities etc. I actually think "the media" makes people really unhappy, NT or otherwise. I decided to keep the focus on the people and community that are important to me and not apportion energy to all that hot air. If I'm really interested in a certain issue I can look it up.

I don't think this answers your question, but maybe it is an attempt to remove the need to ask it.

25 years. Wait until you're 50 and have spent half your adult life unemployed because your social behaviors get under the skins of every manager you ever work for and then tell me you didn't suffer from your disorder.

Then you can tell me how you never suffered from your multiple divorces and failed relationships.

Enjoy your autistic "strength!"

Growing up I couldn't relate to other gay folks.
Growing up I couldn't relate to other black folks.
Growing up I couldn't relate to other Trinidad immigrants.
Growing up I couldn't relate to other mixed breed kids.

Later, I find out I'm autistic. So far, it seems like I can identify with and relate to this bunch of misfits. I welcome Susan Boyle to the club. After all, we have to belong somewhere.

Half your adult life?

In the 26 years since I turned 18, I've been employed for at most 21 months.

<--- I know that all too well.

I have spent 1/3 of my adult life unemployed and 4/5 of my adult life un and underemployed. The employment rate for autistics is 20% so I find Willard's claim very plausible.

As for Susan Boyle and brain damage the association is not negative because she was wrongly diagnosed as having brain damage. This brings out that people with Aspergers often get misdiagnosed. Besides misdiagnoses and the suffering it causes other aspects of Aspergers that the Boyle coming out has for the first brought widespread attention to, People in their 50's can be Aspies, Females can be aspies, Somebody that people really admire for their humbleness can be aspies. There will always be people who no matter what message you send will hate you, and many of the articles were clueless, ableist or both but overall it was a positive thing.

When people tell me, "OMG, I just can't believe your autistic", often what I sense they are really saying is, "But you don't look that brain damaged to me" or but you look so unlike a star track fan, or computer nerd, or trainspotter, or computer game obsessed socially incapable. (The list could go on and on)

I am really pleased for Susan Boyle. However, every time people who present differently come to the publics attention I punch the air with delight. People like Ladyhawk, Eminem ( not completely sure yet) Daryl Hannah, and so many others challenge the stereotype.

The issue I have is not with the media but with 'professionals' who are so quick to pathologize us and make out we have such a narrow view of the world, whilst they remain so blind to the awesome beauty and creative potential of autism.

People within the autistic spectrum can be conventionally creative, artistic, conventionally beautiful, walk in a straight line, dance, get married, divorced, love, play.

How strong the desire is within humanity to be so stuck, within its limited way of seeing the would.

I'm so glad y'all exist! and are here!

No, I completely disagree.



I think she is a more true-to-life example than those you have listed.

Last edited by Acedia on 23 Dec 2013, 4:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

I wasn't arguing with him. I was wondering what he was doing right that I wasn't.

No. Susan Boyle is a very good example of a talented women with HFA.

^^^^^

Just going to agree with Marybird tonight, it looks like.

I hope that now that she can be a musical professional that her life will be one of financial ease at least.