Infinite Diversities

I have had a few people disagree that I should call myself “autistic”. Yes, I am a person first. But my autism doesn’t come second. It prefers to be with me at all times.

Hmm, another way I could put it is that I am a person with asthma. This would be right and if someone said I was an asthmatic, I would be ok with it. But if I suddenly didn’t have asthma anymore, I would still be me (with a little more money that I didn’t spend on asthma medication – and I would be able to SCUBA dive as well with no restrictions). My asthma doesn’t define me, it isn’t part of my personality.

So if a person with asthma, a person with epilepsy, a person with diabetes, etc. were cured of their conditions, they would probably be a lot happier and essentially be the same person with the same personality and the same friends and all that.

If I didn’t have autism anymore….I don’t know who I would be. That is a scary thought, really. I don’t know if I would like the same things, read the same books, even be married to my husband, have the same relationships with my family. What would I be doing without autism? I could be leading a completely different life.

I know some anti-cure views are that we should be proud of who we are, we don’t need a cure, etc. But if I was offered a cure (less sensory issues would be a relief), I would be scared. Because if I took the cure there would be no turning back and who knows how I would turn out on the other end? It is more of a personal issue for me and I believe that it should be for all autistic people – they should decide for themselves rather than tell others what they should do.

If someone calls me a “person with autism”. I am fine with that. But I will call myself “autistic”. I will explain why (if I can) when asked about it.

Autism is with me, it is a part of me, it is me.

Nuisance that it is sometimes.