Happy Autistic Pride Day and Happy Birthday
June 18, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
It’s Autistic Pride Day today; the day originated with Aspies for Freedom. It’s also the birthday of Jason Ross Artson who blogs at Drive Mom Crazy (a blog-name I’m quite fond of, by the way). I think we’ll be celebrating here by doing “the usual”: It’s Charlie’s first day of Extended School Year and of us getting back into the usual routine. We will be baking a cake—Charlie sighted a gluten-free crumb cake mix last time we were at the store and wanted to make it last night at 9pm, and was fine with waiting till “after school.” He also has speech therapy and then we need to go shopping for some items for school—-locks for his locker are at the top of the list—-and I’m always proud to be aut with Charlie in public.
Happy Birthday, Jason!
Hi Kristina,
My last name is Ross, not Artson, but I think that you mixed up me and Jacob Artson from the Lit Cafe.
Anyway, Thank you for wishing me a happy birthday.
Jason
Sorry, fixed it!
You have got to be kidding me.
I can understand accepting autism, I can even partially understand some adults with autism stating that they would not like a cure for themselves.
However, to take pride in a condition like autism that renders my children unable to talk is absurd in the extreme.
MJ, perhaps you can find something in your children to feel proud about today and do something extra for them? I bought my son a new book he’s been wanting http://tinyurl.com/6q92lc and told him that I was proud to be his father. I’m still waiting on my wife to give me mine
Happy Birthday! And, yes, I am proud to be an autistic, be honest. Not to be confused for being proud of my lack of skill.
Cliff
I must be in Latin mode, as I read that “aut” as a conjunction first.
There is nothing wrong with aware autistics taking pride in themselves.
There is nothing wrong in stating the obvious that autism causes terrible hardships for some who have it. I’m not talking about society’s reaction to autism. I’m speaking autism itself.
Do not celebrate your child’s autism, celebrate your child. Celebrate how his smile brightens your day. Take him swimming and celebrate his laughter. Perhaps out for ice cream later.
Whether you view your child’s autism as something to celebrate or as I do something which only the most heartless would wish upon a child, our lives have been enriched ten, hundred, a thousand fold by them.
So someone beside me is in Latin mode around here…..
I guess an analogy would be Gay Pride.
I don’t know if this is veering too much from the original significance of the day, but I think of it as simply a day to celebrate my son and his accomplishments—-small, perhaps, but pretty big in our book.
The crumb cake’s in the oven……..
However, to take pride in a condition like autism that renders my children unable to talk is absurd in the extreme.
Am I telling you that it’s absurd to take pride in your way of being? It would be arrogant and rude, wouldn’t it?
“Do not celebrate your child’s autism, celebrate your child. ”
That I can agree with – you should take pride in who your children are and what they have accomplished. I am proud of what my girls have managed to accomplish given the disadvantages that they have to overcome.
“I guess an analogy would be Gay Pride”
Bad analogy. Gay pride is about being proud of the their differing sexual orientation. If you were to extend that to autism then you would have to be proud that you have autism. And that notion is absurd. That would akin to celebrating Cancer Pride Day.
Joseph – you should take pride in “your way of being”, you should have pride in yourself. You are you – you are not autism. Autism is a disease. You are not a disease.
I think that being “proud” that one has autism is the point; perhaps there is a difference of opinions here between parents and autistic persons themselves.
Also, pride in this context is usually as in not being ashamed of that aspect of yourself, as well as being happy with the way you are.
I mean, it’s not like gay pride is about someone thinking, “hah, I’m gay, I’m so awesome for that” – in a similar way, autistic pride is more about, “I like this aspect of who I am, and I don’t need or want to change, even if I could”.
Much like a gay person having gay pride doesn’t mean that they think their sexual orientation confers special status to them, autistic pride isn’t about special abilities or “the famous ones of us”, but it’s about understanding that we’re valuable as is, and we don’t need to reach some level of ability in certain tasks to be valuable, that our way of being is as valid as any other.
“If you were to extend that to autism then you would have to be proud that you have autism. And that notion is absurd. That would akin to celebrating Cancer Pride Day.”
No, it’s not at all. It’s like being aware and accepting of another way of being that is no simple negative. I am proud to be autistic, and wouldn’t have it any other way.
“you should take pride in “your way of being”, you should have pride in yourself. You are you – you are not autism. Autism is a disease. You are not a disease.”
This is technically correct (except “Autism is a disease”. I disagree strenuously there), but it is misleading as such. “Way of being” is very much wrapped up in “autism”, or more correctly “being autistic”, and it is something for both good and ill.
Oh, and yes; “pride” here never ways meant to confer a special status, but to be seen as valuable in its own way.
Cliff
Mayfly, MJ, and others
While this is not specific to autistic pride day, this spoke to me about what these campaigns might be about–”pride against prejudice”.
“…The disability pride movement wants to present people with disabilities as full citizens. These ’spots’ do not ask for ‘pity’ or ‘pennies,’ they ask for respect…”
http://www.inclusion.com/resdisabilitypride.html
“perhaps there is a difference of opinions here between parents and autistic persons themselves.”
I have heard this argument before. However, a large percentage of people with autism cannot talk or communicate. The ones that seem to be advocating for being proud to have autism can function well enough to make that statement on their own behalf. And that fact alone places them far about the majority of their peers.
“but it’s about understanding that we’re valuable as is, and we don’t need to reach some level of ability in certain tasks to be valuable, that our way of being is as valid as any other.”
We agree there. I just don’t think it is a logical step from there to celebrating a disease.
““Way of being” is very much wrapped up in “autism”, or more correctly “being autistic”, and it is something for both good and ill.”
What good comes from autism that the person would not possess on their own, as their ability with or without the autism?
“I have heard this argument before. However, a large percentage of people with autism cannot talk or communicate. The ones that seem to be advocating for being proud to have autism can function well enough to make that statement on their own behalf. And that fact alone places them far about the majority of their peers.”
I would have said the same thing when I was nonverbal. And I would never, ever, ever say I was above someone like Kristina’s son, Charlie. Actually, I’ve met Charlie, and I would respect his perspective (if not more) than my own.
“We agree there. I just don’t think it is a logical step from there to celebrating a disease.”
“As is” includes the “disease” (I would say “condition”, though)
“What good comes from autism that the person would not possess on their own, as their ability with or without the autism?”
A whole means which has increased perception, inward cognition, and focus, amongst an array of other things. It’s not dependent (obviously), but it is enhanced. Ultimately, it’s perspective that creates a distance from societal structure and reception in favor of a sharper individual perspective and intelligence. Honestly, that’s a deal that, for those it is of, is more difficult but is also well-worth it.
Cliff
“Disease”—”disorder”—”disability”—-these words are floating through this thread and which one a person chooses to use does seen to reflect on one’s view of autism.
I used “disability” more and more, myself.
“What good comes from autism that the person would not possess on their own, as their ability with or without the autism?”
But that’s exactly my point – the “pride” is not dependent on ability. I am not “autistic and proud” because I believe being autistic has given me any special abilities, and I know of plenty of non-autistic people who are as gifted if not more in my strengths, and these people who share my strengths virtually all that I’ve met have more skills in self-care skills, speech and language, navigating unfamiliar places, learning new tasks, etc.
The whole point is that my pride in way of being is not dependent on having special abilities to “compensate” for my disability. Does that mean I don’t try to gain new skills? Of course not. It just means that the value of my way of being is not dependent on whether I succeed in gaining those skills.
“But that’s exactly my point – the ‘pride’ is not dependent on ability. I am not ‘autistic and proud’ because I believe being autistic has given me any special abilities, and I know of plenty of non-autistic people who are as gifted if not more in my strengths, and these people who share my strengths virtually all that I’ve met have more skills in self-care skills, speech and language, navigating unfamiliar places, learning new tasks, etc.
The whole point is that my pride in way of being is not dependent on having special abilities to ‘compensate’ for my disability. Does that mean I don’t try to gain new skills? Of course not. It just means that the value of my way of being is not dependent on whether I succeed in gaining those skills.”
True enough, though I also did mention that there were benefits. Obviously, that should hold generally about minority groups.
I agree with everybody. the autistic pride for me is that I am a person as well as anybody else who has feelings too and is just as good as the neurotypical community. We all need to help each other out because that is what people are all about. To me, a true person helps another person out with gaining skills that someone needs to attain without keeping it to themselves. Sharing is caring. It goes the same for my field in ultrasound because I was taught to share knowledge.
Jason
And there’s the question of what “skills” are seen as necessary for success.
yes, because everyone is different and it is very hard to find skills for success sometimes.