Autism is not part of my idenity?

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The average "normal" person believes that disability is the "other". One way of dealing with this is to shun disabled people entirely, and another method is to depersonalize the disability to characterize it as a seperate entity that is in combat with the disabled person (see the "I am Autism" ad by Autism Speaks).

It's a common coping method for a person who knows someone with a disability, doesn't hate them, but doesn't want to change their worldview of "disabled = bad". A person who doesn't mind their disability(or even identifies with it) is a threat to that worldview.

That said, I don't believe it's healthy to define yourself by one part of your life. When that area of your life is gone (if it can be gone), what will you have left to fall on? There are other parts of your life that can be used to draw meaning from, and not just an ASD.

I don't think autism can be fully outgrown or "cured". I will always have it.

Which is why I added "if it can be gone".

But that sole point of identity could be anything. "Being a parent", "Being in school", "Loving *insert book series here*". People who pick one thing to identify themselves with often find themselves jaded when something happens to force them to change their opinion or life circumstances.

The "We're just like everyone else" rhetoric is kind of a problem in the LGBT community, too. It creates this situation where folks who don't care about being perceived as "just like everyone else" get marginalized. There are loads of personal ads for "straight-acting" gays, and it's considered normal and ok, even within the community, to not like gay folks who behave more like stereotypes. Well, sometimes people are play-acting or posing, but sometimes that's honestly the way they are. Some guys are just naturally more feminine, some girls are just naturally more masculine. But even within the community, it's often considered ok to not tolerate them.

What kind of diversity is it when the only people who are accepted by society are just like everyone else?

I agree. Being an Autistic savant defines me, because of the brain neurology pattern I have - makes me have abilities, like THIS: http://equiisautisticsavantartist.webs.com/

But all my artistic talent comes with a FOXP2 type of severe language disability.

I can't have one without the other - it is called having a Ferarri brain. Why should I want to change it ?

Good be see another autistic artist. I'm 24 now and while I'm also artistic I'm no savant. Those dinosaurs on your page are incredible. I think I may be that good in a couple of years if I keep practicing.
It's interesting to see what kind of things other people with autism draw. I've been drawing dogs, cats and other animals like that since I was about 3. I've moved onto humans, objects (household things) and landscapes. I've just started on dragons and other mythological creatures too.


I agree. I mean what if one was to get another diagnosis so it wasn't autism all along? I'm kind of going through that as I notice more and more ADHD symptoms in me. I could have both but I don't think I should identify with one over the other.
Another thing is what if you overcame a lot of the traits that you no longer felt autistic? Which I guess you were hinting at?
I identify as Shanti, which is my real name. That's why I don't like the personality types or being called a highly sensitive person - it just lumps me into another group.