Poll: Preference of Identity terms

[Gracey]

My vote was 'Other'

"Gracey" is just fine, thank you

 

[Judge]

Then again I was always fond of the term "carbon unit".

LOL...Star Trek fan...guilty as charged.

 

[Richelle-H]

Labels are for boxes and cans.

How I refer to myself depends on who I am interacting with. If referring to myself as autistic seems appropriate, I will do that. Generally I am who I am, that's all, and you can accept or reject me based on how you interpret my affect.

Often, no one even suspects I am that much different than their expectations. But then, I prefer to avoid social interaction unless I gain something from it. That may seem selfish or venal but it actually radiates from my need to avoid any form of confrontation, even if it might be pleasant or enlightening.

However, I am not a complete troglodyte. I will always leave my protective shell when the attraction is greater than the repulsion, somewhat like the pole of a magnet that willfully keeps changing.

 

[Ken]

I choose autistic.

I feel that autism is a part of me and who I am. Saying that I am a person with autism implies it's a disease that I am inflicted with. I do have diseases, but none of them defines me. Autism is a part of my identity.

Of course, very few people really know what autism is, so I do not freely reveal that I am autistic. Since essentially no one understands what autism is, revealing it will almost certainly be misperceived.

By the way, yes, I'm also left handed.

 

[Magna]

Saying that I am a person with autism implies it's a disease that I am inflicted with.

^
I agree with you that "person first" language has a negative undercurrent to it.

 

[Nemesis_2k7]

Autistic , well in my case, Aspergers.

 

[Nemesis_2k7]

I use "Retarded".

This is not a joke or me trying to troll, I mean it. That is how I choose to self-identify.

yea. I used to call myself a "retard" or "retad" when i was being hard on myself. then i realized, the term is quite offensive, so i stopped using it