I'm no longer proud to have Asperger Syndrome.

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11 Mar 2020, 12:37 am

Callisthenes wrote:

Autism is a disability (in social interactions among other things). NTs derive great amounts of joy from social interactions but not us.

Actually, while some autistic people really don't desire social interaction at all, many of us do desire it and would be capable of enjoying it in the right circumstances. Problem is, for many of us, the right circumstances just don't happen very often, if at all.

Please see my more detailed reply to you in the separate new thread How can social interaction become enjoyable for us?.

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ASPartOfMe
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11 Mar 2020, 4:25 am

I am not proud or ashamed of being autistic. I was born this way, autistic is not something I accomplished. I am proud of some things I have accomplished even though most might not think they are a big deal just because I accomplished these despite me or anybody not knowing I was autistic.

Even if you and everybody around you knew you are autistic and you accomplished these despite the stigmas, stereotypes, and lowered expectations.

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Borromeo
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11 Mar 2020, 9:18 am

ASPartOfMe wrote:

I like this.

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Joe90
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11 Mar 2020, 11:38 am

One can actually be proud of something that's a part of them. I'm proud of being born in April, and I'm so thankful I wasn't born in November or December.

Ain't that the same as a person being proud of their brain wiring?

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Borromeo
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11 Mar 2020, 11:46 am

Joe90 wrote:

That sounds like it has a lot to do with gratitude. Maybe I am looking at this wrong, and it's actually like this--that people are proud of being autistic because they are thankful for seeing the world through the benefits that offers?

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IstominFan
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12 Mar 2020, 9:19 am

Joe90,

I was born in November, and it is a perfect month for me. I think August would be the worst month, because nothing really goes on in August.

IstominFan
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12 Mar 2020, 9:22 am

April is a great month, though. My cat, Samantha, was born on April 1, 1979.

A lot of my favorite athletes are April babies:

David Ferrer, Spanish tennis player, April 2
John Landy, Australian miler, April 12
Haile Gebreselassie, Ethiopian long distance runner, April 18

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12 Mar 2020, 10:29 am

I'm proud that I've proved all of my detractors wrong throughout different parts of my life.

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12 Mar 2020, 10:32 am

I was born in October which is the perfect month for me. Oktoberfest.

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12 Mar 2020, 11:52 am

I've known I was very different since going to kindergarten at age 4. That difference has caused me a lot if difficulties, but I've NEVER wished I were like "normal" people. ..even long before I knew what autism was. I always much prefered my way of thinking and couldn't imagine theirs, which seemed irrational, petty and superficial. If that's pride, then I was proud

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13 Mar 2020, 12:00 pm

Benjamin the Donkey wrote:

That's how I felt for most of my life too, long before I knew what autism was.

skibum
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13 Mar 2020, 12:47 pm

I don't think your neurological type is something to be proud of or not proud of. It just is what it is. Are you proud of your skin or eye color? Are you proud that you have ten fingers and ten toes? These aren't things that are sources of pride. Nor are they sources of shame. They just are what you are. You should be proud if you do something that is worthy of being proud of.

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13 Mar 2020, 5:30 pm

Callisthenes wrote:

Autism is a disability (in social interactions among other things). NTs derive great amounts of joy from social interactions but not us. I don't see how having important sources of joy denied is beneficial. Some may say that since we care far less for social interactions we can spend our time on more 'productive' activities and make greater contributions (as some likely Autistic academics have). But the personal price is too great. Achievement is important but so is happiness.

This is not to say that there are no positives to Autism at all, but the benefits are greatly outweighed by the disadvantages.

If autistic people don't derive "great amounts of joy" from social interaction (true for some but not all, actually), then focusing on more productive things wouldn't be relavant to their happiness. What you have said is contradictory.

Callisthenes
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13 Mar 2020, 9:56 pm

starkid wrote:

Callisthenes wrote:

Where is the contradiction?

MjrMajorMajor
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13 Mar 2020, 10:29 pm

I can't speak for everyone obviously, but "proud to have aspergers" translates in my mind to proud of myself and how I have navigated my life with aspergers. As in I can wear the label while not being what some people view the label as. The wording of the phrase is poor, but I don't think I'm alone in my translation.

kraftiekortie
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13 Mar 2020, 10:30 pm

I’m not “proud” to be autistic. I just am.

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