Aspies For Freedom

I know a lot of NT's who really hate the idea of "political correctness".

I'm a lot more "politically correct" on this forum than I am in real life, just because it seems like quite a few people here get offended by something that's even slightly politically incorrect. I'd rather just shut my mouth sometimes to avoid upsetting people than be all militant and argumentative about being able to say whatever is on my mind.

They do realize that we have brains of our own.  

Person-first terminology would be something like "person with autism" instead of "autistic person" or just "autistic".

I understand why person first would be problematic with us.  The autism is hard wired into the brain and nervous system.  It can't be removed easily, the autism spectrum affects perception, we in fact are slightly qualitatively different than average people.  In varying degrees it is necessary to learn to live in their world but not in their minds.

It's not a disease or a disorder, it's culture. NTs are no less resistant than aspies. This place is ripe with it.

I don't like the term 'political correctness' because to say 'I'm politically incorrect' can align you in some people's eyes as being some bigoted creep who had Bernard Manning as a role model. I think some people use 'political correctness gone mad' as an excuse to show absolutely no respect to someone who belongs to a certain minority group. My sense of humour is not 'politically correct' whatsoever but thats more to the fact that I think laughing at taboo things in society takes away their power.

However I'm going through an employment tribunal because I was constantly subjected to harassment on the basis of my being gay, including being told gays are promiscious and having my sex life being a topic of discussion. In the year 2007, I should have had the right to admit that my partner is also female and not be subjected to some creep's curiousity about what I get up to in bed at work. I do not like someone I don't know calling me a 'dyke' or any other slang term for lesbian and if people say thats only banter, I don't think they'd use the n word to a black stranger and think its okay.

If the question means saying socially inappropriate things, then yes, I do do that. But in so far as saying delibrately offensive or flammatory comments in order to take away the dignity of another on the basis of irrelevant status i.e. homosexuality, race etc (which is what I would have thought political correctness is trying to prevent), no. I don't make a point of showing no respect to people who belong to different groups as me, or belong to the majority (i.e. I have just as much a problem with heterophobes as I do NTphobes). I don't see the point in having a problem with groups in society; individuals certainly, but not groups.

This is pertinent: Language Hat on political correctness and offensive language. Go read it.

Political correctness is Orwellian Newspeak BS that tries to cover up bigotry with euphemisms and taboos, and thus driving it underground, instead of actually dealing with the causes of the bigotry. It is a good example of the obsession towards language found among Postmodernist "sociologists."

I am less PC here than in real life.  I feel that here among others who I cannot deminish b/c I am one with you, I can let my hair down a bit and use the shorter unPC terms.  

In the world I strongly believe in PCness and people first language.  It makes so much sense to me to habitually remind ourselves that we are all people.  some of us are people with autism, others are people with kidney disease, some of us are people with neurotypical brains.  People too often use lables as barriers.  PC language is an effort to tear down thoses walls while keeping communication open.  We can refer to each other without putting each other in a box.

The label that I just can't get my mind around is indian.  I just moved to az and people call themselves after a mistake columbus made over 400 years ago and nobody has corrected it.  I've brought it up a couple of times to try to understand, but I won't anymore b/c they look at me like I'm daft.  I am daft, and I guess that will be one of the great mysteries of my life...

Most indigenous Americans use and prefer others to use the term "Indian" nowadays (at least in the western US, I've noticed). Even just 15 years ago, however, the so-called correct term was "Native American" and "Indian" was largely considered derogatory. I call them Indians because that's what they call themselves. I don't see it any more offensive than calling white Americans "Caucasians", the vast majority of whom do not originate from the Caucasus region of Eastern Europe. Of course, when possible, most Indian tribes prefer to be called by their traditional names - Lakota, Choctaw, Yurok, Cherokee, etc.

Oh, I do go with the preferred term of the group being indicated by it.  It is just based on a mistake, which is the part I think of as wierd.  I never check the caucasion box, or white for that matter.  I insist on european american or bust.  Maybe onry-american would be the most accurate, though...

What do you imagin that would look like?

there's always hope as long as we keep striving for this reality!!

one of the aids at the school where I work came up to me and asked if I was the "autistic SLP".  I gawked (thinking, 'does everyone know?') at her and was about to say, 'actually more like aspergers', when I realized that she was asking me if I was the SLP who worked with the autism program.  Another reason for PC!

While I am in favor of PC, you're absolutely correct.  No matter what one comes up with, it turns on itself and becomes a pejorative lable.  I think its because so many of my generation (babyboomers) grew up with no disabled/different/nonNT people in evidence (institutionalized) that they think poorly.  Mainstreaming done properly allows kids to grow up with all kinds of differences (colors, nationalities, religeons, neuro).  Done poorly, I suppose it accentuates differences.

SLP = speech language pathologist (and I am the autistic SLP with aspergers)