almost but not quite entirely unlike tea

The “privilege” of the autistic

A cross-post with my proper blog, so that people actually read the damn thing.

Now, naming no names because I really don’t relish anonymous hate mail, I saw something on tumblr today that made me a bit annoyed. This isn’t an uncommon occurrence, if anything, it happens so often I don’t know why I bother with the internet anymore. None the less, I do, and so I saw this. 

So, to preface this, I believe the complainers in question were living in America, they referred to states, dollars and gas etc. Anyway, there was a complaint, or perhaps a justification that in having been diagnosed autistic you had some inherent privilege, as opposed to the self diagnosed. 

I’ll give that a moment to sink in shall I?

For those not familiar with the way in which the word privilege is used here; and indeed how it’s almost become a slur, let me explain. If you are white for example, you have “white privilege” it’s not your fault, it’s not a bad thing unless you abuse it, it just is. Basically what it means is that you have the “privileges” in life, mostly associated with white persons. Good schools, homes, jobs etc. You could also have male privilege, such as not feeling threatened, being higher up the corporate ladder and not judged on weight. Or Hetro-sexual privilege where you can expect to feel the norm in society, to not be outcast for your sexuality etc. 

So do we understand now? Privilege is something you basically have inherently, but it could be bought about through having a good family or a decent job as well. I’m willing to go so far as to say that the idea of being diagnosed autistic is a “privilege” is pretty silly. I hope you’ll agree. 

Now onto the second part of this. That’s right, “diagnosed” this as opposed to “self diagnosed”. Are there two more dodgy words to a medical professional? (Aside from of course “Andrew” and “Lansley” but we won’t get into that here.) 

Yes, i’m sure it was really terrible for you, deciding you were autistic, and then having to find someone who works in diagnosing adults, and then getting your diagnosis. I’m sorry if I sound sarky here, i’m not saying your not autistic, if someone agrees that you are, you probably, to some extent, are. What annoys me here is the sanctimonious tone. It’s very “oh good for you, getting diagnosed as a child like everyone else, well I had to pay for mine” etc etc. 

I shall step back for a moment to say here that I am a high functioning autistic. I have aspergers syndrome, quite mildly, I wasn’t diagnosed til the age of 17, and that was following a separate happening, which saw me spend a year in counselling with two professionals. 

The thing is there’s a reason for this. If you haven’t been picked up, you probably weren’t picked up for a reason. Do you know what that reason is? It’s because you’ve functioned okay. You might’ve been the weird kid, you might be a little socially rubbish, but you can walk, talk, write and generally behave to a societally accepted standard, which doesn’t require you to need a justification.

Another point here, it’s of next to no used as a HFA adult to tell people. Maybe a partner is useful? Certainly having a reason you interpret every facial expression that isn’t smiling or crying as “concerned” is one thing. But it doesn’t help you much in the work place, if anything I find it makes people not want to hire me. 

As ever, i’ve derailed in this rant. What i’m trying to say is that self diagnosing yourself on the internet is silly; and that being diagnosed as autistic is not a “privilege”.