ASD as minority identity

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Was just wondering why ASD and its related neurological disorders (ADHD, OCD, PDD etc.) haven't been added to the minority identity spectrum (i.e. LGBTQI+, BIPOC etc.). I mean, when you think about it, autism in particular is an identity for many people as it shapes who they are and how others perceive them as well, and frequently makes it difficult for others to accept them as "normal", resulting in discrimination and prejudice when it comes to making friends and getting jobs. For many people, it's not even able to be hidden, while many other identities no one would be aware of if you didn't tell them.

I've noticed that many companies go out of their way to hire minorities of all walks of life, including giving them preference over cis white males (one online writing job I saw recently basically admitted they were actively searching for "non-white" minorities and LGBTQI members to make themselves look more diverse), in which case, why isn't the same done for ASD people? ASD sufferers arguably face more prejudice and discrimination than any other minority group these days (for example, no person with a visible form of autism is going to be hired if there's even one other non-autistic applicant, no matter what community they belong to or identity they have, which explains why there's vocational programs specifically for autistic people but no other identity). Many autistic people are perfectly capable of doing any kind of job anyone else can, there's just too many societal obstacles in their way. Logically, if people cared about the ASD community, they'd include them as well but it seems like they're content to keep them from getting any of the chances they afford other victims of prejudice. Think about it... who deserves more help- someone who identifies as demisexual (which isn't even something anyone would discriminate against nor be aware of) or someone with ASD?

It is a minority identity. It's classified as a disability. Depending where you live there should be accommodations, support systems, and workplace legislation to protect you from discrimination.

I agree we don't hear "disabilities" rattled off in the common list of minority groups, but of course it's one. It might be considered an invisible disability which makes awareness even harder to achieve.

We often get a rough deal, but Conservatives don't so much label us as sinful perverts or try to get us to renounce our ASD. There's more of an acceptance that we're not this way by choice.

I don't know whether we're better or worse off than LGB..... people. I don't know how that could be reliably measured.

Personally, I don't want the benefits of positive discrimination, especially if it's conspicuous. I'm too wary of a possible backlash. When job offers are made that aren't based 100% on the applicants' merit in terms of ability to do the job well, I think that invites contempt from the unselected who also struggle to find suitable work. I can see where they're coming from. We live in a society that often leaves the vulnerable to the wolves, so the ones who are displaced by a particular favoured chosen vulnerable group are likely to wonder, "Why is the system nice to them but not to us?" The powers that be will, in a top-down way, redistribute jobs towards certain groups, but they won't fix the core problem, that there aren't enough decent jobs to go round.

I do not consider ASD to be an "identity". It is a medical problem which causes an adverse effect on my life, and I find the idea that it is merely a personal identity to be rather insulting.

Autism is a protected group as it falls under the disability group along with schizophrenia or dementia.

Getting diagnosed opens the door to being classified as disabled which unlocks entry to special schools, welfare benefits, free disabled parking (uk) and a few other things including the acknowledgment by society that you may need help with things.

All these other groups like LGBT can lead independent lives their only barrier is discrimination caused by racism or religious views, take that away and they have no more barriers.

It’s not like that for many autistic people take away any potential discrimination and your still left with barriers preventing people working or living independently caused by the autism.

Also an autistic identity would create some strange unacceptable contradictions, on the one hand your claiming a disability is an identity on the other gov and scientific community are actively trying to prevent and reduce it for good reason because it’s a problem to many who have it.

Yeah, let's not do that, it's already bad enough with the other "identities" that people can claim without any sort of conclusive proof and people claiming to have neurological issues for oppression points.

Autism is a medical condition.
It is something you have, separated from who you are as a person.
Whether it's the quirks or the adverse effects in life.

Autistic is an identification.
It is a part of who you are as a person.
It colors one's perception, inclination and character.



I know which is which in mine.

My low verbal IQ and high performance IQ is autism. It is something I either work around or take advantage.
The IQ profile from autism is not who I'm, but what I can and cannot do well.

However, my fascination in crafting is something I would do all over again in several lifetimes.
It reflects a part of me who also likes to share and connect. It also distracts me from work because it's what I'd prioritize.



From where I came from, obtaining any formal label means you're lucky or rich enough to even get acknowledged.
Unless I move to the capital or somewhere abroad, it won't matter much of a disability status or an identity.


Identity politics do not exists here like how it is abroad. It's not some polarized crap like person first vs identity first.

Anyone can prattle about how they're suffering and deserved better, or something equally foolish like working too hard to please or piss everyone around them.

From the way I see it, all of it is just human entitlement.

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I think it's mostly because there are too many different kinds of autistic people. I can understand that some of those who can lead an independent life (can work, can handle household chores etc. every day life) might want rid of the stigma of autism being a disability, but the thing is, some autistic people don't even have the independence skills of a preteen as adults, so not calling them disabled would be very misleading. Another reason is that minority groups tend to get noticed etc. because the said minorities themselves work hard to be heard, and that might be hard for autistic people in comparison to other minorities since it includes stuff like networking and talking to people, which tend to be hard for those on the autism spectrum.

But you know, homosexuality was officially considered an illness until 1970s (?), which wasn't all that long ago, yet now it no longer is, so who knows, maybe same will happen to the autism spectrum at some point, too.

I wish people would just treat people like they want to be treated.