Drama and divisions in the autistic community. in The Big, Blue, House. Year two.

It has come to my attention that there are people who adopt the label of being autistic, without even an interest in a professional diagnosis. As if it were a fashion statement, or a culture, akin to being goth, or emo, or nerdy, or whatever.

I think this has happened because getting a diagnosis for a lot of people is extremely difficult. In the US the cost can be prohibitive, and if you’re a woman, you’re as likely to be misdiagnosed as not. So for years now the autistic community has been welcoming of “self-diagnosis”, for those who have no other option.

Then r/aspiememes and numerous autistic Discord channels and TikToks made ASD “culture” and common traits more visible. We are almost universally introverts, with social anxiety, and “nerdy” interests, and a few years ago I started to see posts from people who related to the memes, and started to think they might be autistic.

And of course the autistic community welcomes them, because they are an incredibly supportive bunch of people. And some, maybe even most, (there’s no way to know the percentage), are probably actually autistic.

Now we have this new development wherein some subreddits actively denounce a professional diagnosis, claiming that you, yourself, are better to diagnose yourself. I kind of understand that, given the subjective nature of psychiatry. But this is obviously a problematic stance to take publicly.

The mods of r/AutisticPride have taken the stance that autism is not a disability. As an autistic person, living on disability, obviously I take issue with this. It’s so obviously untrue that it’s absurd.

The mods of r/AutismInWomen have taken the stance that self diagnosis is equally, or possibly more valid than an actual diagnosis.

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I’m going to be rude now. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability. I’m thinking that those mods are exemplifying why ASD is indeed a disability, by their sheer ignorance and poor critical thinking. Or maybe they’ve just gotten, as my father would say, “too big for their britches”.

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Regardless of the reasons, there is now a burgeoning trend on TikTok and Discord and Reddit, of claiming being autistic as an identity, and eschewing even trying to get a diagnosis. Much like a certain sub-sect of young people has long claimed to be “otherkin”, or a “walk in”, or more recently “xenosexual”. And most of the autistic community is absolutely fine with it,

I’m like … Really?

And it gets worse. There are people who are either faking or legitimately convinced that they have DID. For attention, validation?

Histrionic personality disorder might be more apt.

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Let me be clear. If a person simply cannot get a diagnosis for financial reasons, or if they’re misdiagnosed, I am abundantly fine with them “self diagnosing”.

But if they don’t even WANT a diagnosis, I consider that individual a faker. Plain and simple.

And there are battle lines being drawn over on Reddit, with the various ASD subreddits taking sides, and it’s exasperating, (and somewhat interesting), to watch.

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I recently commented, on r/AutisticPeeps :

This is highly disturbing.

Being autistic has become “cool”. Like being goth, or emo, or nerdy. Introverts, maybe with social anxiety, see aspie memes that they can relate to, and decide that they’ve found their identity.

No. If you’ve never been bullied for being different, never struggled to make or maintain friendships, never had trouble getting or keeping jobs, never suffered through a life surrounded by people who will simply never understand you, never felt like a complete outsider - chances are you are not autistic. Full stop.

My diagnosis is not a fashion statement or a lifestyle choice.

And as much as I want autism to be accepted, and bullying to be stigmatized, and our collective suffering to finally stop; convincing the general populace that ASD isn’t a disability isn’t the way to do it.

Being legally disabled is my only source of income. This ridiculous fad of autism as an identity is legitimately dangerous to people like me.

Last updated May 08, 2023