"Person with Autism" or "Autistic"

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Sorry if this topic has been talked about already, I couldn't find one so I thought I'd ask.

I recently watched a talk show, and read an autism book where they said we should never say "autistic." It should be "person with autism." I personally find this kind of politically correct labelling completely mindless and stupid, and ironically it offends my autistic need for things to be said plainly and not "airy fairy" which person with autism is!!

Which do you guys prefer? Is saying "autistic" offensive because it labels a person, it's negative, bla bla bla?

Autism has a whole lot to do with who the autistic person is. Autism isn't some ball and chain that gets dragged around seperate from the autistic person."person with autism" is mostly what the curebies insist on.

Communication is too important to worry about the word police every time you open your mouth.

I agree with that.

I prefer autistic. very simple way to get the point across

They're trying to do the same thing with other diseases, like for example you're not diabetic you're a "person with diabetes." I think it's pointless, I get the point (the "person" comes first, they are not a label, bla bla bla) but I frankly find it fruity and stupid (like short people are "height challenged"....oh give me a break *roll eyes*)

But yeah I agree with OregonBecky, autism is different from diabetes or whatever disease because your personality is part of the autism...so ok I have diabetes but it doesn't change who I am, so I'm a person who happens to have diabetes. But autism makes up my very self...so I'm not a separate person, I am AUTISTIC.

As an autistic person I also can't stand these do-gooder NTs telling me what to be called!! !

This is a pet peeve of mine, some bitter parent coming around and saying, "I know you don't know any better, but "person with autism" is more correct."
It's actually a political debate, not a matter of proper speech. People who think "person with autism" is better, think that autism is an aberration. I understand Person First language, I just don't think it fits with autism. My son can't detach "his autism", it's not a lead zepellin that holds him back from being a whole child. He's autistic, he's an autistic boy.
Pinched-face lady asks, "What's wrong with that boy? Why is like that?"
I answer, "He's autistic, that's the way he is."

You can say, "person with blond hair" or "that blonde", "that blonde boy". Have you ever heard, "that boy with red hair and freckles"? No! It's, "that !@#! redhead!"

Oh I'm so relieved other "auties and aspies" feel the same way. "Person with autism" is like nails down a chalk board to me.

I'd love to take this thread to the author of "10 things every child with autism wants you to know." Number one is "We want to be called Child With Autism not AUTISTIC" with a full chapter on how autistic is a label and we hate it. I'd like to say...oh yeah? Well WE are the autistics you are raving about, and WE want to be called AUTISTIC!" So stick that and don't tell us what to be!

I was so shocked to see that darn list on the wall at my son's school. I was like, what the ______?! My son hears everything garbled too, so now he's saying, "I am autism. So and so is autism too."

missing option: genius

Haha good one IsotropicManifold. Hmm, that might not explain it to people though.... "I'm not good at socialising because I am a genius" hehehe. Unfortunately I'm not genius or savant or any of that, just an average intelligence girl with poor social skills that are just good enough to get by.

I prefer autistic because it's a label that describes certain characteristics about us. Someone could describe me as smart, funny, autistic, and friendly. If someone said I had autism it would mean that there's something I have that's not a part of me that I need to get rid off. It's like talking about someone and saying he has depression, autism, and an anxiety disorder. Not something I want to hear.

They say "person with autism" because they mean "person (except for autism)". It implies the person with autism can have the autism removed and end up a "real" person.

Or that's how it sounds to me

It hurts me emotionally to say "person with autism" because my daughter is profoundly autistic and using that phrase makes me sound like I'm not ready to accept her as the whole lovable person that she is,

I never thought of it that way...but yes you're right!! The politically correct police seem to mean well, but I think their expressions come across as condescending and insulting. Like autistic is a dirty word, and it must be something terrible if we can't even say it. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years we can't even say autism, it will be "person with social and sensory impairment." *roll eyes*

I'm Daniel, who so happens to have Asperger's--it conflicts with my personality many times.

But one must learn to live with it, as there's not much else one can do.

None of the above.

It's either "I'm on the Autistic Spectrum" or you get specific (ie LFA, HFA, Aspergers etc)