08-18-2004, 01:37 AM
What happens when you see the word 'Autistic' ?
Perhaps it conjours up images of children isolated from the world and their families. These *children* behave in unfathomable ways, perhaps they even harm themselves. They will never learn even the most basic social interactions and will be totally dependant on their familes for the rest of their tragic lives. In short, they are helpess, a burden.
Oh really? Then who is this 21 year old man with a successful educational career (can drive!!) and functional social life? Is he Autistic too? Impossible! The above definition is the only acceptable one that mainstream society can comprehend. Case closed.
I want to make it clear to my fellow Aspies and activists just what kind of a struggle lies before us. Could it be the case that we have lost our battle before it has even begun? Let me illustrate the problem: try thinking of a doctor, now try thinking of a lady doctor. Now a judge, and next a female judge. It is certainly the case in the English language that the female versions of these job descriptions have negative conotations. In fact in English a man is the mesure of all things, the norm, women are the exception, the modification of the norm. Thus women are 2nd class citizens because they are treated as 2nd class in the language: the medium we use to communicate and structure the world around us. Men have tradtionally held the power in western societies thus they control the language and keep women 'in their place'.
The same is true of us Aspies, we have nowhere to go where we can be recognised as individuals of worth, without the stigma imposed upon us by society. There is no positive space for us in language. Organisations like CAN control how Autism is percived, and as such I cannot be an Autistic and a Person. The two terms are as complimentary as black and white.
The result: The definition of Autistic is incompatible with the definition of a Person. Only people are entitled to human rights. Thus responsibility for our survival rests solely on big buisness Autism groups who profit hugely from our continued suppression.
The solution? We must find a way to reclaim language and re-define ourselves. Now some might say that this has already begun: the term 'Aspie' for instance. But this is problematic. How many people do you know (outside of activist groups) that actually use this? When I use the term to describe myself people do not understand what I mean, I have to resort to 'Autistic' again, and we are back to square one. Even amoungst members of my local support group this term is unheard of and I doubt it will catch on, as some Aspies simply cannot see themselves as anything other than disordered.
Secondly consider how certain feminists have attempted to alter language to try and balance out the inequality eg, 'womon' instead of 'woman', 'herstory' instead of 'history'. Again these modified terms have not enjoyed usage outside of radical feminist circles, and when the outside world learns of them confusion and irritation are often the reaction. Exercises such as these are pointless. English is not a language that can be modified for 'equality' it is a sexist language from the ground up, by design.
The same situation faces us Aspies. I had hoped to end this on a more positive note but I see only insurmountable difficulty ahead.
Perhaps it conjours up images of children isolated from the world and their families. These *children* behave in unfathomable ways, perhaps they even harm themselves. They will never learn even the most basic social interactions and will be totally dependant on their familes for the rest of their tragic lives. In short, they are helpess, a burden.
Oh really? Then who is this 21 year old man with a successful educational career (can drive!!) and functional social life? Is he Autistic too? Impossible! The above definition is the only acceptable one that mainstream society can comprehend. Case closed.
I want to make it clear to my fellow Aspies and activists just what kind of a struggle lies before us. Could it be the case that we have lost our battle before it has even begun? Let me illustrate the problem: try thinking of a doctor, now try thinking of a lady doctor. Now a judge, and next a female judge. It is certainly the case in the English language that the female versions of these job descriptions have negative conotations. In fact in English a man is the mesure of all things, the norm, women are the exception, the modification of the norm. Thus women are 2nd class citizens because they are treated as 2nd class in the language: the medium we use to communicate and structure the world around us. Men have tradtionally held the power in western societies thus they control the language and keep women 'in their place'.
The same is true of us Aspies, we have nowhere to go where we can be recognised as individuals of worth, without the stigma imposed upon us by society. There is no positive space for us in language. Organisations like CAN control how Autism is percived, and as such I cannot be an Autistic and a Person. The two terms are as complimentary as black and white.
The result: The definition of Autistic is incompatible with the definition of a Person. Only people are entitled to human rights. Thus responsibility for our survival rests solely on big buisness Autism groups who profit hugely from our continued suppression.
The solution? We must find a way to reclaim language and re-define ourselves. Now some might say that this has already begun: the term 'Aspie' for instance. But this is problematic. How many people do you know (outside of activist groups) that actually use this? When I use the term to describe myself people do not understand what I mean, I have to resort to 'Autistic' again, and we are back to square one. Even amoungst members of my local support group this term is unheard of and I doubt it will catch on, as some Aspies simply cannot see themselves as anything other than disordered.
Secondly consider how certain feminists have attempted to alter language to try and balance out the inequality eg, 'womon' instead of 'woman', 'herstory' instead of 'history'. Again these modified terms have not enjoyed usage outside of radical feminist circles, and when the outside world learns of them confusion and irritation are often the reaction. Exercises such as these are pointless. English is not a language that can be modified for 'equality' it is a sexist language from the ground up, by design.
The same situation faces us Aspies. I had hoped to end this on a more positive note but I see only insurmountable difficulty ahead.
! He has a fantastic sense of humour and a devistatingly accute way of scrunitising society and people's motivations. Although I am not overly familar with Satre (outside selected readings from: 'Being and Nothingness' and a basic biography), I have heard that he was quite familar with Nietzsche's work and there certainly seem to be some parallels between both their philosophies (particularly in relation to God's "death" and the importance of man to create his own destiny and be solely responsible for himself). Satre was wrong in this respect though: human freedom is not a curse, but rather a mixed blessing. :wink: