A Difference in Ability

Why I prefer differently abled

consider this a response to Autistic Hoya's: http://www.autistichoya.com/2013/08/differently-abled.html

And to all other opinions of a similar nature

Is autism a disability?

No

It is a difference in the wiring of the brain that may be accompanied by disabilities

To call autism a disability is to say it is debilitating

When it is so much more

It is what makes me me

I would rather people call autism a difference in ability rather than a difference in ability rather than a disability. To call autism a disability for certain aspects ignores all the parts of my life that it accentuates and how it makes me better at certain things than others. It devalues my abilities and my strengths and places non-autistic people on a pedestal despite any short comings that they may have as a result of their allism. Many allistic people have poor spatial skills, are poor at math, they constantly rely on emotional responses of other people to communicate effectively and form effective relationships and they seem to have this constant need to simply believe things to go with the crowd rather than think for themselves. I do not see anyone calling that a disability. And when an allistic person is disabled they are an allistic person with a disability and not disabled for being allistic.

My autism gives me strengths and weaknesses and things that I can work on to be a better functioning person like everyone else.

Calling autism a “hyper ability” would take away from the challenges that I face but calling it a disability take away all the strengths and wonder I get from it. I am different because of my autism; I am differently abled! A difference in ability!