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Like everything nowadays, autism comes with its own brand of politics - and like all politics, it's a minefield to navigate. This page collects articles I've written on the politics of autism. It's important to remember that I've been blogging for over 15 years and that the language of autism has changed considerably in those years. I've been a big part of that change but so have others. Even I can't keep up on all the shifts (and I certainly don't have the time to find and update all of my old articles every time a turn of phrase is "voted out".
Person first language
Person first language
One of the biggest shifts in the language of autism recently is the "person-first" language. Originally, we had Autistic, Aspergers, PDDNOS, ADHD, ADD and a whole heap of other labels. Gradually the labels disappeared. We were also encouraged not to say someone was "autistic" but instead that they "had autism". Later this changed to "on the spectrum" so that we didn't have to say exactly what they had.
Then people with Asperger's and autism started calling themselves Aspies, Aspergians and auties, then it was considered offensive. Then we were told that a person couldn't "have" autism because the person and the autism were inseparable. Today (2020), we're encouraged to say autistic person for everything - except that many autistic people find this offensive.
The upshot is that there's no universally acceptable language, so these days I try to use all of them (often within a single article), to encourage the idea that they're the same. If you find yourself being corrected, then use the language you're being corrected to with the crowd doing the correcting. It's our actions, rather than our language which define our intentions.
Responding to "Light it up Blue"
Responding to "Light it up Blue"
(April 2013)
(April 2014)
(April 2017)
(April 2012)
(April 2012)
(November 2014)
The Changing of the Label (Asperger's to Autism)
The Changing of the Label (Asperger's to Autism)
These posts were written around the time that the DSM V was published. They captured a bit of the feeling and uncertainty that was rampant at the time.
(February 2010)
(February 2010)
(February 2010)
(September 2013)
(October 2012)
(August 2010)
(July 2010)
(April 2018)
(April 2018)
(September 2010)
(April 2019)
(February 2008)
(March 2012)
(March 2012)
(August 2012)
(December 2012)
(August 2013)
(February 2010)
(November 2011)
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