SilverProteus wrote:
Amaltheia wrote:
Maybe pride is the wrong word.
I think autism pride, like gay pride, just means not being ashamed of being autistic or gay — or rather, not thinking of autism or homosexuality as something defective and shameful.
So you need a word that means the opposite of shame. Unfortunately, English then just bounces you to the other extreme, and you get pride. There doesn't seem to be a word for the neutral position — not shame, not pride, just is.
But I think that's what's meant by autism pride.
Either that, or it's an over-correction like a pendulum swing for so many years of autism shame.
This.
Exactly. It's not about being proud per se, it's about not being ashamed of who you are, accepting yourself for who you are. As Amaltheia said, there just isn't a better word for it, but being content with how your are and self acceptance would be good definitions of what it entails.
Being an aspie is also a significant part of our identity for some of us, and says something about who we identify with, not unlike how nationality feels for a lot of other people. I see it as happiness for what you have, not feeling better than other neurologies/nations, but being happy about your own and content with having been born into it.