Excuse my French, but this is serious

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I've been noticing that when I'm forced to tell people about my AS, they always hear me wrong and think I'm saying "ass burgers". From then on they always taunt me about that and say "Hey, pass me some of those ass burgers you have" or "Are you getting any chafing due to your ass burgers?" or something like that.

Does anyone else get this? Am I the only one to suffer this agony?

That's why I always strongly emphasize the "p."

Think sounds allot like teasing, than misunderstanding, if you try & correct them & they still do it... Question is do they do it allot & laugh while doing it, then you know what type of people they are, answer you need to find is will they stop once they know how it's making you feel... I normally don't bother telling people due to the problem no one even hardly knows what it is...

Move to a British country and learn to pronounce as As-bergers. MUCH easier!

I do and it pissed me off

I've had that happen to a friend at work. A co-worker in his department is aware of his Asperger's, and a woman in the department recently had a nephew diagnosed, this unmitigated cad keeps repeating "assburgers" and thinks he's funny. My friend refuses to confront him about it, unwilling to get into the conflict that would ensue. I understand his reasons. I've also told him and have every intention of carrying through on it, if it's ever repeated in my presence, I will have that bastard up on charges with the Human Resources department. I have every intention of having him fired over it, and since I'm an Assistant Vice President and he's not, and he's violating federal rules and our explicitly written workplace policy, I think I will succeed.

I wish I could suggest something concrete to you, but other than having it explained to them that what they're doing is the same as referring to anyone ELSE different by a derogatory term, such and using a racially charged word towards a black person, a disparaging term against a gay person, etc. If it's school, I'd say try a teacher or a counselor, but that's ineffective in most schools. If it's the workplace I'd file a complaint with Human Resources. Sorry, other than responding to them every time with a cheerful "Hello you dumbasses" I don't know what would be effective.

Actually, my teachers are very good this year. I'll try that.

I get the Ass-burgers laughter and all the associated dumb jokes when I am speaking to some people. I honestly don't worry about humans whose goal in life is to be "The Biggest Fool!" I figure stupidity is the problem of its owners and as such not my concern at all! I use how people respond to my autism as a test to see how mature or intelligent they are. Some people just enjoy a simple life swimming in the shallow side of the human gene pool you can't change them. I have a hard enough time living on my own to worry about other people who fight to be stupid like most of us fight to learn and grow on life's journey.

you might try pronouncing it Aus purjerz's syndrome or aus perger in stead of ASS BURGERS. They have only heard it mispronounced and go for the cheap shot. Change it slightly each time you say it and just tell them you didn't know how to pronounce it before but now you do. . .

I had to do that and after a while they just forget anyway.

I pronounce it like Oss-pair-guhrs since I believe that's how it would have been pronounced in the original German anyway. Also, we pronounce Mozart like Moat-sart, Wagner like Vog-ner, Bach like Bock, Freud like Froyd, Goethe like Guhr-tuh, etc. so it is basically orthodox to approximate original pronunciations of German names when speaking English. Because of that, I don't see why we don't do the same with Hans Asperger, especially when we do follow it when saying his first name.

Why would someone bring up that they have a disorder? Yeah, other people might bring it up first, and say oh, you must have it, but then you just confirm that you don't put too much thought into the concept.

Maybe they are explaining it to their friends. Or perhaps they are clearing up gross misconceptions. Or they are trying to increase the level of understanding betwixt themself/ves and their peers.

If they are uneducated, never heard the term before, I would use Autism. When they understand that, then explain the term Aspergers. First you start with what they know a little about. Common people are ignorant of Autism, and are completely oblivious to particular kinds of Autism like, Aspergers, how it is a spectrum, and how it impacts people differently and to different degrees.

I only use Aspergers when I am talking to more educated people on the subject. Otherwise it is like taking about phototunnelling to a 3rd grade class.

It is easier to make fun of it then it is deal with the realities of it. It is teasing you, it is there way of establishing a connection with you, but without dealing with the situation.

Best,

Idaho Aspie
www.AllThingsAspergers.com

Emphasize the "P" as if you were to say asp, like the snake.

Use the phrase "mildy autistic" and they should have a better idea of what your disorder is like.

Aspergers is a terrible word. Maybe mildly autistic is a better alternative.