Something that really gets on my nerves.

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People who use aspergers and autism as an insult.

You've probably seen it happen, usually it's some teenager who thinks he's cool, but unfortunately it's become an insult I've heard way too often. Not to mention it's usually accompanied by other cruel accusations or even outright hatred which is undeserved. Not only are they insulted whoever it's directed at, but insulting all people in general who -do- have aspergers or anything related to autism.

Man, they'll say anything as long as it hurts as many people as possible, won't they? It's already not easy for many of us to socialize (especially me) but now that's just making it harder. I don't know how or why this became their new insult of choice, perhaps because it's effective..

Sometimes it makes me feel like I really don't belong.

Where do you see this at?

When I was in high school, it was ret*d they were using and gay. I started hearing the word in 8th grade and then ret*d in 9th grade and they used it for anything and called each other that. I never hear anyone say Asperger's or autistic but I have heard of it happening.

At school, actually. The sad part is I'm not kidding, they must have picked it up somewhere and started using it constantly. I've also seen it happen on TV, and on the internet a lot (but everything's on the internet). Maybe it's just my school?

Yes, I'm noticing this on other websites' forum boards. It seems to have become a replacement insult taking over from the R word, unfortunately. I even argued with someone on another site who used this in the same way the R word used to be used. It's despicable.

I have never seen, heard, nor experienced that personally but I think it would really upset me too if I were to experience it.

My brother (who is unaware of my diagnosis) has sometimes 'jokingly' called me autistic for getting pissed off at him making certain sounds I found grating, or for demanding him to close the door when he enters the room. He told me I should stop "being so autistic about it".

IRL I've myself never heard the words "autistic", "autism" and "Asperger's" used in any way other than when they were used to refer to autism and Asperger's syndrome. So I don't know how I would feel if it actually happens.

I think some people have no idea what "autism" means and see it as just something vaguely negative/inferior. Some of them are childish enough to use it as an insult. Insulting words are always used by those that are not worth taking seriously as they are the inferior ones.

When people say gay jokes to make fun of/insult gay men, I don't really feel upset because deep inside I feel gay men are rather superior to straight men (although I know sexuality doesn't make anyone superior or inferior). Inferior people insulting superior people is something to laugh about because it shows their ignorance. I think the same applies to a situation where people use autism as an insult.