Do you think we should be allowed to mate?

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We(USA) had forced serialization in the past ,it wasn't pretty at all.

If im not mistaken, the overpopulation problem is a problem not because of sheer number of people and not having enough space, but lack of resources. As in trees, food, etc.

I had similar thoughts about possiblity of people with AS(D)/PDD to have offspring. For me exposing the offspring to having ASD appears to be something bad... I think about all people who have significant genetic predisposition to ASD (even those who have very high level of functioning).

ASD appears to be often genetic. It can cause suffering not only because of reactions of "typical" people, but also from itself (for example due to sensory hypersensitivity). But "NT reactions" are really large problem for autistic people. I read about Aspies who are more "normal" and appear to be higher-functioning than me. Being an Aspie appears for me to be better than being a bright NT with a cancer or other serious somatic disease. Being born a NT in the village in Somalia looks to be worse than being brn as an Aspie in average family in USA.

A priest said me that it is very probable that I would be incapable of marriage to the end of my life. I had interest in opposite sex since quite early childhood. I am not so interested in interactions other than my theoretical marriage (but I "like" one-sided interactions with others).

One of the many reasons the OP proposal is ridiculous is: that its like proposing that "anyone who goes to a shrink should have his head examined !"(Yogi Berra actually said that).

Folks on the AS spectrum tend to not get into relationships, and tend to not reproduce anyway. So your draconian idea is already pretty much self-enforcing anyway.

But the world HAS been changing its attitude towards the neurologically diverse. It used to be someone who was autistic would be locked up in a mental institution. And let's be honest, the level of autism acceptance has been increasing, what with improved means of communication (internet) and just increased knowledge on the subject in general.

How about this, a right to *not* be born?
If most people with autism alive today wouldve wanted to exercise this right I think it should be a thing and take precedence over one's right to reproduce.
I just think we have a duty to alleviate suffering wherever possible.
It may be most people with the disease are better off than I thought, and are happy with having been born.
Then the idea obviously loses some merit.

No doubt. Read a few posts in love and dating and the question isn't "Should autistics be allowed to mate", rather "Can autistics mate?"

Personally any kind of eugenic program I'm against...didn't work out so hot for Sparta, wouldn't work out so hot for us either. That being said I'm with the OP on my personal standards. I'm not a big fan of the "autistic experience"-- nothing against the benefits of autism, but the social costs are much too severe for my liking. I wouldn't force it on anyone, especially offspring. That and perhaps more pertinent is that by the time I was 14 I realized the "mating game" was going to be too socially advanced and fruitless for me.

I think everyone has the right to mate.
There are so many things which cause suffering other than autism, if you suffered heavily from something it doesn't mean everyone who has it would suffer like you, to be honest I suffered more because of other things, haven't suffered much from autism, assuming if I actually have it since I haven't ever even got a diagnosis.

anthropic_principle, I'm sorry your life has been so difficult for you. Could it be that most of your unhappiness and wishing to never have been born could have more to do with your depression and anxiety, and less to do with autism? There are many people who aren't autistic but still suffer from depression/social phobia/anxiety to the extent that they can't hold a steady job or accomplish much. And what about eating disorders? The millions of people who never accomplish anything because of their obsession with food? Just how many different types of people should not be allowed to reproduce? It's just most of the autistic people I know are passionate about their lives, and happy, and it's not all hell for them. They struggle, but so does everyone. The neurotypicals I know have a tendency to live less productive lives. If the autism gene was halted, we probably wouldn't have today's advanced technology and ongoing inventions. Neil DeGrasse Tyson said his field (science) was full of people on the autism spectrum, as well as those with OCD, ADD and dyslexia.

I feel that autistics have the same right to reproduce as everybody else. I also feel that there should be a bit more mating going on. We're going through a demographic winter. There are schools around the world that are being shut down, because they're not enough children. I feel that all people should be allowed to mate, whether or not they have a disability. I also feel that people also have the right not to get married and have children as well. I'm sure the couples that are mating and the solitary people who don't wish to copulate and mate will balance the world's population out quite nicely.

I think we should. Allistic people can give birth to autistic people and autistic people can give birth to allistic people. We're not a separate species, therefore even if you were to not want someone to be autistic, this isn't something that would really prevent it anyway. Lots of things are thought to raise chances of offspring having autism from what I've learned. Plus, wouldn't that be a difficult thing to enforce anyway as a law?

I choose not to have offspring. The chances of having an offspring with some sort of genetic defect was relatively high. Even if my offspring were considered genetically spared from my families defects they would have had to live in this cruel, and often times violent world.

I value the fact that we have as much right to mate as anyone else. I personally don't want children because they would undermine my career, however, if I were to have them, I would want them to be autistic. I think autistics add an honesty and genuineness to the world that many NTs with their social manipulation, power-seeking, and perpetual white lies, take away. I attribute my success at school and deep-seated knowledge of what I want to do with the rest of my life to my autism. Statistics claim that 80% of college freshmen are undeclared (undecided on their major) when they enter school, and that 50% will change majors at least once, sometimes two or three times, before graduation. My autism means that I've known what I wanted to do with my life from the age of seventeen, and will likely be more attached to my career as a result. If the world had more people who were that dedicated to their life's work, we would probably all be a lot happier with our lives, and we would have a lot more competent people with real expertise as a result.

My dad is an (extremely high functioning) aspie, but I'm the only child he's had with any form of ASD; his two other children, both half-siblings of mine, both appear to be neurotypical. I don't see what's wrong with an autistic person having kids, just as long as they themselves are capable of properly raising children.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think people should require licenses to procreate; not to have sex, but to have children. How would it work? Well, to get a procreation license, it would be like getting a drivers license or a gun license; you'd have to take a course and prove that you know what you're doing. If a mother and father end up having a child without their procreation licenses, their child would be placed in adoptive care until they recieve their licenses and prove their worthiness. If they fail to prove their worthiness, then they can't have their child back until they can prove their worthiness as parents. Sounds harsh, but I think it's necessary. There are too many people out there having kids, who shouldn't be having kids.

I've been a big believer in genetic purity since I've been about 8, when I found out that I couldn't be cured because I was born this way (It has nothing to do with AS, since I got that at diagnosis at 25)!

I believe society has a duty to prevent genetic defects from being passed on to future generations.
Until the Human Genome Project is fully completed and gene therapy come to fruition, then there is nothing we can do for the most part.

Though there is limited genetic testing already for two people who wish to have a child together for certain genetic defects. They can also test the fetus too.


I know this is strange coming from someone who has disabilities.

Obviously there are suffering inducing factors intrinsic to autism as well,
such as
-Difficulty communicating/connecting to others/expressing emotions, sometimes incredibly so (which has many terrible implications)
-Impairment in social skills
-Hypersensitivity
-Being more prone to other disorders and mental illness. Most of us have co-morbids I think.
-I've also heard we're more susceptible to various physical health problems, maybe this is partly why I'm so messed up right now in that regard but I won't get into that.
-High chance of mental retardation? not so sure how this one works

Just thought I'd mention that to make it clear our suffering isn't only the result of external forces, but our own problems.