Do you consider AS a formal "disability"?

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I was just reading another thread and was surprised that most replying considered AS a disability and thought it should be accommodated for in a workplace scenario...do most feel that way?

It seemed that most thought someone not being hired for a job, because the AS would make certain things more uncomfortable for the employee to the point the employer might have to make a few changes was a legal issue and unfair under a fair employment act.

...do most agree?

I do not think it is necessarily a disability and I do not consider myself disabled, just different. I personally do not want any special treatment because I have AS as long as people who do not have AS do not want any special treatment from me.

But that is just me.

Depends...
The problem is that people who have AS are like snowflakes; no two will ever be the same. I used to have an AS friend, and I didn't even realize she had it until she told me 2 and a half years later! That was because her only strong AS traits were to do with food and mood, so she would not have classed it as a disability. On the other hand, I can hardly even walk into a busy building without breaking down, and for my own sake I have to class it as a formal disability to get the support I'm entitled to.

Yes you have a good point. AS is on a spectrum so people vary in how much it impacts on their life. If it impacts negatively then people should be entitled to support.

I have thought of that at times, but my boyfriend seems to handle his job and I would be afraid he would feel even more worthless if it didn't exist...not to mention he tends to do "nothing" else except sit at a PC playing games and watching shows.

If he ever qualified for some type of benefits, he would just do nothing but sit twice as much.

That's something I worry about. I think if I was told I could be put on benefits under "disability- unfit to work", I'd take it and not do anything with my life! I think it depends on how strong-willed a person is. That could turn into a vicious circle...

He isn't strong-willed really, he's impressionable and naive for the most part...it makes him beautiful to me though, he is genuinely not tarnished like most I've known.

...though he feels he is and can't be convinced otherwise. LOL

He is the most stubborn person I have ever met, but not motivated at all. : P

in the UK it is, isnt it??

i think so- one COULD have sensory problems- i do- so if that makes me ill, why should i get less protection than epileptics w strobing lights or wheelchair users w ramps etc.

i can only do voluntary work, so they are not bound by the law to accomodate me, but they 'try' (its different for actual employees).

the new manager has a bunch of a.s women friends so is nice to me, but prior to that i was told i should 'try' working with other people, even though it made me exhausted, stressed, and tearful. it was impossible to explain.

in this case it was clearly contingent- one manager was really nice, though she couldnt understand, and just accepted it- the human resources and disability and minority liasion people were useless.

I wouldn't let him go on benefits then. (Not that I know anything about relationships- ignore me! xD)

Relationships are difficult even in the best case scenarios...and I haven't met anyone in one of those yet. : P

I don't consider it a disability because I am intelligent and I am able to learn how to work, and can live on my own without any assistance. The social-emotional stuff, even though I am not able to have other depend on me, I do not consider that a disability. I consider a disability is where a person is not able to either work, live on their own, or do anything for themselves without assistance and/or just can not do it. Not being able to Do things for others is not a basic necessity problem, and it does not "prevent" someone from living their lives and/or doing things for and/or taking care of themselves. I do have sensory problems and can not work in environments that are noisy, busy, and where I have to deal with people, but there are jobs out there that through a career counseling, I can assess what my strengths and weaknesses are and be able to find that perfect job. Since I am intelligent, if I find my perfect career and need to go to college, I can do it. I don't have any learning disabilities, so I do not need "help" with that. If the course load is too much, just go part time and ease into it. The Social security would be used so that because of being unable to work in those environments,and since only with a high school diploma the only jobs available are those environments that I can not handle, so that would be needed. Also, I would need psychotherapy to be able to help me with the emotional issues and other issues I have, so I need the medical(medicaid/medicare) to help pay for it, since I am not working. Also, the money can help you move into a section 8 apartment to get independence, especially if your parents are difficult to live with. I feel that the faster a person is out of their parents care(or anyone's care), the easier it would be to be independent and not be "emotionally" dependent on them. The psychotherapy can help with that to. So, Asperger's is not a disability, it is just a difference that can be emotionally draining on our independent living and/or work lives, but there are ways we can "adjust" and still live like the NT people. The whole social-emotional thing we will always have problems, but that does not interfere with being able to be independent and have jobs like everyone else.

I have read from many that they cannot do those things that you feel capable of though...so it would seem dependent on the person and severity.

As someone with a disability, I wouldn't qualify having AS as being debilitating enough to everybody who has it to be ruled as a catch-all case, it should be checked and considered individually, as some people will have more severe symptoms and problems than others (it is a spectrum, after all), but I know that in the UK it can qualify you for Disability Living Allowance under specific conditions.

Most ASDs can be a disability,or more of a difference,it depends on each person.
What is important is that people do not judge a whole condition on their experience,because its very different for everyone whether have the same label or not,and it isn't right when users try to force their non disability view onto users who say they are disabled by their condition,or class those who are disabled by their condition as having negative thinking and not trying as hard as them.

It's up to people themselves if they want to let stereotypes of disability rule them,but the stereotypes do not define disability-it does not mean it has to limit things are able to do.

those in the UK should know if they say their as or autism is not a disability but get Disability Living Allowance,are registered disabled for recieving it.

-Vorzac-,
it isn't specific conditions that are the qualifiers for DLA,it's support needs,eg,someone who needs a lot of day/night support will get high rate care whilst a low rate needs a limited amount and mid rate is higher,though there are some conditions they will refuse DLA for,think alcoholism,drug addiction and obesity are on there [even though they can be disabling],think they only give them DLA if those have caused other strong health problems.

It is documented that I am disabled due to my AS. My IQ is 131 but I function like someone with an IQ of 60, and the report says "due to AS."

Some people are not disabled by their AS and in their case, it is only a difference, not a disability.

So, I agree that people are like snowflakes, and AS people are very individual in this regard.

It may well be that I am disabled due to the opinions and treatment of me by NT people, because of my "difference," but the truth is, I'm still disabled, whatever the cause of my AS.

This is interesting because it's obviously true that no two are ever the same. Still, psychiatrists and psychologists seem to think it's a good idea to forcefully lump different AS people together into special AS-groups. I don't see the logic. I could never get along well with other AS people, I always prefered neurotypicals to those with AS.