startup_spouse

Oh that makes me immensely happy to read! It's always a good feeling when other 20-somethings with ASD are doing well :)

Mea culpa. I should have been more clear about that :)

Jenny McCarthy was on MTV back in the day. Also in Playboy. Her son is on the spectrum and she believes it was caused by vaccinations. She doesn't like when people refer to people with autism as "autistic" because she thinks it's the equivalent of calling someone with cancer "cancerous". I respect her passion for helping her son, but I disagree with her. It's a fine balance: parents of small children with autism want to fight for their children's rights and protect them... but sometimes it's the parents themselves who are placing these kids in a tight box that's very limiting. Try to avoid that with your kids (yeah, easy peasy, right?).

Labels are indeed a necessary evil in order to talk about anything, really. In an ideal world, I'd like it to be a label that was mutually agreed upon, not forced on me. But, I think my vote should count for a bit more ;)

Please feel free to contact me if there's anything I can shed light on regarding your kids and ASD :)

I will definitely have to watch it.

Yes, a "mental challenge" just like it might be a mental challenge for someone without my skill set to do something that I excel at naturally, yet I don't call them "mentally challenged". But that's not the issue.

There are some people who, when using "mentally challenged", are relying on your implicit understanding of those connotations to communicate something else. It is by pretending those connotations aren't there that we now have stereotypes about autism, etc. It's why people tell me I don't "look like" I have autism.

So, in that sense... I don't think it's fair. But I'm an Aspie and that renders my opinion on the matter of my own labeling inconsequential ;)

Yes, some cases are severe. But not all. Which is which is why I, personally, don't think the whole lot should be referred to as "mentally challenged". But that's just my opinion.

I'm an Aspie and don't consider my social deficiencies to be a form of being mentally challenged. I just see my brain as being wired differently than others. I excel at some things my husband is terrible at. He excels at other things I'm terrible at. It doesn't make sense to arbitrarily assign me with the mentally challenged label in that context. In protest, I reject the label :) If we met, you probably wouldn't even know I was an Aspie. I've been told I don't "look like" someone with autism. I don't know what that means, but I'm pretty sure it has to do with stereotyping and labels.

I also say "autistic". I don't care if Jenny McCarthy thinks it sounds like I'm calling myself cancer. Even if she is hot ;)

I'm not saying you're guilty of this, but for many of us (Aspies, Auties) it feels like other people label us and we're not allowed to even engage in a discussion about our own label.

I wasn't trying to be PC at all. I'm the least PC person I know: I'm an Aspie, I have little to no filter. I was just seeking clarification :)

Thanks for clarifying :)

No need to apologize. The phrase "mentally challenged" is used by many people, with different meanings and intentions. Rather than jump on you straight away, I wanted to be sure of what you meant.

As someone on the spectrum, I like hearing/reading what other people think about it and their associations, etc. I prefer to think of myself as just having a differently wired brain (i.e. there are some things I excel at that others don't, and vice versa).

I'm really curious. What about reading this article made you think of Elling and what you refer to as "mentally challenged folk"?

Maybe I'm missing something (I haven't seen the movie, but from the imdb link you posted, no mention of autism)... but it seems to me like you're saying "having autism = being mentally challenged". Am I misinterpreting? I hope so :(

Indeed, YouTube is just a start... we're working on other stuff ;)

Thanks, we think it's pretty neat too :) Hope we're not enabling your addiction though! Ok, maybe just a little bit ;)

I'm surprised to see this for 2 reasons:

1) While I don't really have an opinion on it, I was under the impression that the general consensus was any combination of the following: - it's misleading - it's unscientific - it's a Ponzi scheme - it's a load of crap

2) Isn't this a million years old in internet years now? ;)

Thanks ;)

Thanks so much. I'm sure she has many entertaining experiences she could recount :) Please tell her to share some!