The term "Aspie" --is it offensive? What do you call yourself?

[Fridgemagnetman]

I made here months ago that "Autist" sounds like "Artist" in an English accent. I'm a hoot.

Jury's still out...

 

[Oldlady]

I'm offended by all the radical left wing snowflakes that are offended by everything uttered in their presence.

 

[Fino]

Jury's still out...

Let me know when it's back!

 

[Autistamatic]

Let me know when it's back!

I'm gonna make YOU the jury shortly

 

[Fino]

I'm gonna make YOU the jury shortly

After much contemplation, I've come to the conclusion that you mean that you'll make me "out". Am I right!?

 

[Aspychata]

l like Aspie, l feel like l belong to the land of Aspie.

 

[Nauti]

I like Aspie. I relate to it. But I will never be diagnosed with Aspergers.

I have no problem with Aspergers either. I think "Autistic" is a bit vague. I have a son who is definitely "Autistic" and his behaviour and consciousness is very different from, me, my dad, my sister and my sister's children, who all have the very classic "Aspie" kind of Autism.

I would prefer that Aspergers or Aspie was still current because it describes me and most of my Autistic family much more specifically, but alas, only my sister's children are diagnosed, so far, and I'm sure they weren't diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. Australia seems to be very behind in awareness of Autism spectrum, in general, other than Tony Attwood and his associates, who I will, hopefully, one day, be able to afford to go and see.

Aspie is what, I, most often, refer to myself as, and I don't particularly care, that it's not "politically correct" or popular. I am used to being unpopular and odd and frowned upon and judged; same stuff, different day.

 

[55853]

I think "Autistic" is a bit vague. I have a son who is definitely "Autistic" and his behaviour and consciousness is very different from, me, my dad, my sister and my sister's children, who all have the very classic "Aspie" kind of Autism.

I agree with "autism" being too vague, but I think exactly the same of "Asperger's". Out of interest, what difference do you see? What is a "very classic Aspie"?

 

[Crossbreed]

Out of interest, what difference do you see? What is a "very classic Aspie"?

The dividing line has almost always been

• Aspergers = ASD1
• Autistic (not Aspie) = ASD2 or ASD3

It isn't about IQ, just how much support is needed.

 

[Nauti]

I agree with "autism" being too vague, but I think exactly the same of "Asperger's". Out of interest, what difference do you see? What is a "very classic Aspie"?

Oops, I realize thst term could be a bit inflammatory and I went looking for the article that differentiated "Aspergers" from "High functioning Autism" that I read the other day .

I couldn't find it, but I found this Asperger's and Autism: Brain Differences Found.

To explain my own family will take a while, but I'll try to give some examples.

My Dad didn't talk until he was three, but then, when he did, he spoke in complete sentences.

He was fascinated with old trains, makes and models, and old classic cars.

He is extremely socially awkward, will only, really talk about things like his field of study Indo Europian history, based on archeological study and linguistics, Russian and Ukrainian languages and early root languages, is his interest.

One article I read today said that people with Aspergers (often) have poor social skills, can't do small talk, but have a propensity and fascination for "complex problem solving" . And often have ritualistic and rigid behaviours.

My dad HAS to read a certain number of newspapers, ritually and routinely.

He has done some terribly negligent parenting, of myself, because he didn't know how to deal with it, and as a result, I have lots of problems.

Both my mum and stepmom were really treacherous, neurotic and unhappy women, who left my dad after a very short while, when both my sister and I (half sister) were very young. He was very depressed when we were growing up, and nearly killed himself. He says it is only the fact of having us girls, that kept him alive.

Neither of us, none of us, can do lots of things, like, we are very bad at regular housework, I don't drive and I'm 46, my sister (who I don't really know at all, but I do know, that like me, she is very like our father) has only, recently learnt to drive, she is in her mid thirties, my dad doesn't drive any more either, too stressful for him.

They are both librarians, but my dad retired and is doing a PhD.

I, totally relate to the obsessive compulsive complex problem solving. I was a compulsive reader, growing up, then moved into performance arts, because, I didn't know how to talk to people. I also suffered selective mutism, as a teen.

I had Anorexia for years, which some specialists refer to as "Female Aspergers" because it's so common for young women who can be misdiagnosed with other things like borderline personality disorder, too, (which I was, also, misdiagnosed with), but who are actually Aspergers/high functioning Autistic.

We are more the wordy and science Aspies, not maths thinkers.

But, despite the lack of formal diagnosis, I think the pattern fits.

My son, who is "Autistic" is still very childlike, has lots of services supporting him, has disability org "Day programs", flaps his hands, is a hard core gaming addict, he's 26, but still very much a child in most ways, had/has speech problems, sleep issues, massive meltdowns, and his IQ is just 70. He's not socially savvy at all, and will always be the little brother of his siblings, even though he's my second youngest child ( I have 7 children).

He is a delightful young man and I adore him, but his Autism looks very different to mine, my Dad's, my sister's and her children.

I will add that my dad, partner, my other son that I suspect is Aspie, and myself, are all pretty childike, in our own ways, but intellectually sophisticated in ways that my son is not.

 

[Autistamatic]

Prior to the DSM5 the only significant diagnostic difference between Asperger's Syndrome and High Functioning Autism related to speech delays. Asperger's people went through little or no childhood delays in developing speech or could even have been advanced. Someone with the exact same characteristics who did have a delay in speaking would have been classified as HFA. Part of the reason Asperger's was dropped in the DSM was because the speech delay distinction is so trivial, and irrelevant to support needs, so there was little justification for keeping Asperger's as a separate designation.

It should also be noted that an Asperger's diagnosis was/is not necessarily equivalent to ASD1, although it very often is. It is quite possible to have been diagnosed with Asperger's but be in the ASD2 or 3 category for support by current criteria. My wife used to work with people who were diagnosed Asperger's, who also needed 24 hour care and in some cases 2 or 3 to 1 care because of their harmful or self harming behaviour.

 

[Nauti]

There is very little support for anyone with Autism, here in Australia. Our "National Disability Insurance Scheme" is positively hostile to people seeking support. My son has services, not because of an Autism diagnosis, because he was diagnosed with "Intellectual Disability" and " Cognitive Delay" and because his dad was abusive and as a result, we (Mental Health and I, my son also developed psychosis) applied for a "Public Guardian" and my son got supported accomodation as a result. An autism diagnosis will get you a big fat nothing, here. It just costs from $950 - $2000.

 

[Autistamatic]

"Autist" just sounds like a profession to me. A Professional Autist.

That's probably why! I just triggered my own memory of a joke I made here months ago that "Autist" sounds like "Artist" in an English accent. I'm a hoot.

I said you'd get the chance to be the judge @Fino

 

[Fino]

I said you'd get the chance to be the judge @Fino

OMG I WENT THROUGH SO MANY STAGES OF SHOCK

Me the judge?

"Holy moly, it's a thing so much that there's a video?"

"HOLY MOLY, IT'S HIS VOICE!"

"HOLY QUACK, IT SAYS "JUST FOR FINO LOL"

THAT WAS AMAZING *dies*

And they don't sound the same. I guess they only sound the same in my horrible fake accent.

 

[Autistamatic]

OMG I WENT THROUGH SO MANY STAGES OF SHOCK

Me the judge?

"Holy moly, it's a thing so much that there's a video?"

"HOLY MOLY, IT'S HIS VOICE!"

"HOLY QUACK, IT SAYS "JUST FOR FINO LOL"

THAT WAS AMAZING *dies*

And they don't sound the same. I guess they only sound the same in my horrible fake accent.

You're doubly honoured Mrs Autistamatic allowed her voice on video for once

Actually she thought it was hilarious and found it really hard not to laugh while she was saying it

 

[Fino]

You're doubly honoured Mrs Autistamatic allowed her voice on video for once

Actually she thought it was hilarious and found it really hard not to laugh while she was saying it

I WAS WONDERING. I thought maybe you somehow sampled a stranger. WOW! I just saved it. Now I have a funny story to tell foorrrever! THANK YOU! IT SHALL LIVE ON INTO ETERNITY, with "eternity" now defined as "a few decades, maybe more, I dunno"

 

[sidd851]

I WAS WONDERING. I thought maybe you somehow sampled a stranger. WOW! I just saved it. Now I have a funny story to tell foorrrever! THANK YOU! IT SHALL LIVE ON INTO ETERNITY, with "eternity" now defined as "a few decades, maybe more, I dunno"

Ok, Fino, now I'm really gonna bake your noodle.
Compare the american pronunciation of "autist", to the british pronunciation of "artist".

And now, to borrow the words of a wise man... (runs and hides)

 

[Autistamatic]

Ok, Fino, now I'm really gonna bake your noodle.
Compare the american pronunciation of "autist", to the british pronunciation of "artist".

And now, to borrow the words of a wise man... (runs and hides)

But which American accent? I imagine in a Bostonian accent they might be quite similar, maybe in a Minnesota accent too, but in a Brooklyn or New Jersey accent, probably quite different!

 

[sidd851]

But which American accent? I imagine in a Bostonian accent they might be quite similar, maybe in a Minnesota accent too, but in a Brooklyn or New Jersey accent, probably quite different!

Thanks, @Autistamatic .

Now I'll forever hear "autist" as annunciated by Fran Drescher.

You're a baaaaaad man.

I hope all your kids are born naked.

 

[Autistamatic]

Thanks, @Autistamatic .

Now I'll forever hear "autist" as annunciated by Fran Drescher.

You're a baaaaaad man.

I hope all your kids are born naked.

And you just made me look Fran Drescher up on YouTube to see what she sounds like!

We're even