Do You feel Being Called Disabled Insulting?

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The late Stephen Hawkings was "disabled". He was also one of the biggest geniuses in history. But the latter doesn't change the fact that he was severely handicapped in a way that most folks are abled. Same with Ray Charles, and Stevie Wonder. Some handicapped individuals luck out and have some talent that wins them fame and fortune that vastly outweighs the fact that they couldn't have survived two seconds on the job at Walmart or at Burger King. Same with some individuals on the autism spectrum, but those folks are a minority.

No because being disabled isn't the end of the world. Also that kind of thinking kind of implies disabled people are worthless and pretending i'm not disabled in any way will prevent me from getting the help i need.

I certainly don't find it insulting at all. I really just view it as a fact without attaching any emotion to it one way or another. I am disabled. I have blue eyes. I have freckles. I care for a cat, a dog, and a crested gecko. I'm wearing a blue shirt. It feels the same to me to say all of those things. Granted, in my case, my autism is very clearly a disability - I might contest such a statement if I was very high functioning and didn't feel like it had much, if any, of a negative impact on my life, but that would be because I didn't feel like I actually was disabled, not because I felt it was insulting to be called such.

I wouldn't be offended, but I'd question it.

If I understand right, the website aims to serve the needs of people on the spectrum, and their families. Not any and all disabilities. That's why it's called "Wrong Planet". Right? Because of how Autistics end up feeling in their interactions with many NTs.

A person in a wheelchair needs "a little extra help" with ramps, elevators, and such. Aren't they counted as disabled?

If you need "a little extra help", you ARE disabled, just not greatly. It's still there, tho' (the disability).

Welcome to the "club". It still leaves us autistic, tho', since we're certainly not NT. If the autism is discernable, then it IS there.

My psychologist heard about my test results (see my avatar), and said "What do you think that means?"

I replied that I was obviously NOT neuro-typical, so that would leave me autistic, but on the high end of the spectrum.

He replied "The VERY high end", but he also has no doubt I'm autistic. Early on I asked him a few times "Are you sure? Have you changed your mind?" (I'd suspected it for so long, to have a professional recognize it without direct input from me was...a relief.)

He kept answering "Yeah, I'm sure" and one time he actually said something like "Are you kidding? The way YOU think?"

Unless that benefits you.

It's a difficult balance between the two things.

I wouldn't consider it insulting provided that it doesn't change the way that people treat me. It does make certain things more difficult for me, and it's not something that can be cured. Isn't that the definition of a disability?

However, I am somewhat reluctant to use that word to describe myself because I'm worried it would be seen by others as asking for pity, as belittling people who have physical disabilities, or as making excuses.

Actually I have to ask people and insist that they treat me as if I am disabled. I am disabled and I cannot live up to the expectations people put on me when they treat me like I am not disabled.

And Ezra, to your original question, I would not be offended at all.

Funny because almost anyone can achieve anything an nt can if that person is given the help and accommodations to do so. That's kind of the point. If you can't do the thing without help and accommodations, than you are disabled in that thing. So if you can't manage the tasks of jobs and daily life without a little extra help, that kind of is the definition of being disabled.

^I so agree with the above post. tbh it often annoys me when people act like it's NOT a disability just because their ego is hurt, since if you act like it's just a different way of being,people are going to expect the same from you as they expect from the nts and they're going to make you feel like you didn't try hard enough when you fail at something. I used to have a job which stressed me to the point of crying and drinking every night because i can't write well and my mom just brushed it off as "normal" No, it wasn't normal to feel suicidal and drinking every night and not being able to eat from stress. I'd rather be pitied than constantly setting my standards too high and beating myself up when i can't reach it.

I don't find it insulting. I see autism as a disability, but only because disability is defined socially. If everyone was autistic, being NT would be a disability.

I agree. That is how I feel.

yes!!

Actually, that's a really good point. An example here is that I really do appreciate it when people make an effort to include me even though I might not be giving off the right social cues to indicate that I want to be included.

I certainly notice and appreciate it when things like that happen, although I rarely think that people are doing it because they think I'm disabled - I haven't disclosed to them, so in most cases, they think I'm just a somewhat quirky person who is standing around alone, and they're being nice enough to try to include me.

I'm sort of wondering whether I would get the same reaction if people knew I had ASD. Would people be more likely, or less likely, to make an effort to include me?

I would be more offended by someone calling me disabled because I have aspergers than someone calling me an idiot because I have aspergers