Is the Term “Autists” Offensive?

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Autism Parenting Magazine

I use "autists" and call myself an "autist" sometimes, I've always done that. I don't see an issue with it.

How does it sound elitist?

I don't find it elitist, and I hadn't thought of it in terms of "gymnast" or "pianist".

I don't like saying autist out loud, because I think it sounds like "artist" or "oddist", and a lot of people wouldn't know what we're talking about especially if it's out of context. Typing it visually to someone makes it more clear that we aren't saying "artist", and written communication is usually more in context anyway.

I remember a joke when I was growing up. I was studying Art, and people would tease me and say "You're not artistic. You're autistic! Ha Ha Ha!" This was before my diagnosis and it was just meant to be a joke or a play on words.

Turns out I'm very .... artistic after all. (wink)

The name doesn't denote some form of elitism amongst autistics or to those who knew about autism in my point of view.

If anything, it's just less resonating from autistic if I ever called myself an autist.

Instead it just sounds like of an allistic who knows very much about autism than an autistic who knows just as much...

Or an autistic who kinda distance their autism with anything that connects them to the word 'people' or community.
Less of an elitist and more of an anti-conformist. Anti-conformist, not non-conformist.

Not really better or worse.
... If I took it in my native version of English context and lensed with how I process language.

I think it is more resonating for foreign English and maybe in wholly non-English contexts of certain structures.
It remains to be seen if it's actually offensive in context further away from English contexts and which.


Speaking of allistic, how about allist??

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I don't know how it is in other countries, but most people on the spectrum I know in the Netherlands say "ik ben een autist" (I am an autist) rather than "ik heb autisme" (I have autism).

Personally, I see it more as what I am rather than something that I have.

If you've met one Autistic, you've met one Autistic.

Personally, I do not object to the term "Autist" when referring to someone who is Autistic, but would prefer...when describing me..."Autie" or "Aspie".

I would not be surprised if someone whose Autism was more severe than mine might favor terms that were more proper medical terms.

I am not too crazy about people who are not on the Spectrum calling themself "Autist", however. That is inaccurate, misleading and blurs/dilutes the meaning of the term "Autist".

I use the word autist because it has fewer letters and is faster to type.

I like autist, it can be a homophone of both oddest and artist.

[/quote]
This is one of the main reasons I use it. I'm a bit lazy. [/quote]

Hey now, you're not lazy you're efficient haha

I don't use the term "autist" simply because it's uncommon and I don't see a need for it. I usually say "autistic person." But if someone else wants to use "autist," I have no objection.

The Wall Street Journal fad of using the term "autist" is most likely 'convergent evolution'. It probably derives, not from the autism community, but from the accounting/finance community, and derives from "audit" (as in "the IRS is auditing me!")and not from "autism". Among WSJ readers an "autist" is a person who audits their own finances - and doesnt mean someone with "autistic traits". Though those things are not mutually exclusive. An autistic person, or an NT with autistic-like traits, might well also be an "autist" in the WSJ sense. But I digress.

The term does crop up on WP occasionally.

The term is not "offensive", but it grates on me because it sounds like "artist", or "scientist", or "dentist". That "ist" ending implies that we do autism on purpose, and on command, as a craft, or a profession, and do so for money. And it also implies that we dont "do autism" when it's our day off.

Alternatively it sounds like "Communist", or "Buddhist", and makes it sound like its a creed, or ideology, that folks with autism willfully adhere to, which is also ridiculous.

I prefer the term "autistic".

I prefer "Autistic" to "Autist".

Not for any major philosophical reason, I just don't like the way the word "Autist" looks or sounds.

Also as NaturalPlastic says, it makes it sound a bit like a career choice.