The part of the article about Wendy Lawson was worth reading, but I have issues with the opinions expressed by author Kamran Nazeer.
Quote from article:
Labels don’t have to determine our futures, he adds. “Kids with autism do get better, although at different rates. Perhaps they’ll never fully emerge into complete functionality, but don’t assume that their difficulties are categorical and for ever. Change is possible.”
Nazeer is working on the same assumption that NTs generally have, that if a person achieves in life, that is incompatible with the idea that they are still autistic, and that growing into being a useful, independant member of society must represent a cure from autism for any person who was autistic as a child, rather than this progress being an autistic child simply growing into an autistic adult.
Autistic children do grow up to become intelligent, useful adults. This isn't the result of a "cure" or "recovery", it is the result of growing up. If some autistic people do not progress in life, one should ask why. Is it because of intellectual retardation or learning disabilities or other disabilities in addition to or comorbid with autism? Is the lack of progress due to the fact that NT-run society has no place in it for autistic adults and therefore autistics may remain in a child-like, dependant role? If an autistic person fails to achieve financial independance, is this because of discrimination against their autistic traits in education, the workplace or during job interviews? If an autistic young person fails to develop socially, is this because they are only encouraged to socialize with NTs in an NT style, and thus are isolated from any genuine peer group and satisying social life? Is the autistic failing to develop or is society standing in her way? The way I see it, society offers autistic kids only two choices, either you develop into an NT adult, or you don't develop at all. I think that's a pretty @#$%ed set of choices!
I can't fault someone for successfully integrating into society rather than blaming it and staying miserable. Well done to him.
I can't fault someone for successfully integrating into society rather than blaming it and staying miserable. Well done to him.
That's not what the problem is. The problem is the completely stupid presumption that managing to get by or thrive means that someone has somehow "gotten better" or "recovered from" autism spectrum. That's the stupid part.
Surely that's only an argument over semantics. No one is saying Nazeer is no longer autistic, but he is doing as well as he can.
Well actually, in one of the reviews of the book "Send in the idiots" there was a suggestion by the writer of the review that Nazeer may have been misdiagnosed, so there has been the suggestion that the writer, presented as a high achiever who is "normal", is not autistic. Nazeer goes along with the idea that he is different to those he wrote about, by using the language of illness and recovery with regard to autism. In my opinion he hasn't recovered nor has he adapted, he's just sold out, which is the easiest and potentially most lucrative path by far.
Keep autism real! Underground 4 eva!
I'm very principled about being socially inept, myself. There are temptations, I can't deny it. I almost found myself looking a pretty girl in the eye and smiling. Thankfully I remembered my roots in the nick of time, so I squirmed and mumbled instead.
Fight the good fight. No scabs.
The girl from Nazeer's school who killed herself, she's an icon for us all. No easy option there. Proudly autistic to the end.
NO CURE! NO CURE! NO CURE!
So...
Does anyone else find themselves becoming sarcastic when faced with the preposterous and contemptible?
So...
Does anyone else find themselves becoming sarcastic when faced with the preposterous and contemptible?
Uh-huh. I know the feeling.
By the way, martyring the dead is never a good idea.