If you have spent a long weekend online gaming, then you might be surprised to learn that not everyone who misses a shot, goofs a goal or drops a ranking is autistic. In fact, although it has become common to use autism as a taunt online, to say such a thing is mindless (and not just because it suggests autistic gamers would be anywhere other than the top of online leaderboards).
This is something which I feel I shouldn’t need to speak about (and, if I could leave it there, you know I would). However, as the use of autism as an insult becomes more frequent on the tongue of sore losers, playground bullies and, inexplicably, leading politicians, it seems I can no longer avoid running my mouth off on the topic. So, let’s discuss the implications of using autism as an insult.
The Good News:
It may seem wrong to say there are silver linings to people using autism as an insult but, when you consider the factors surrounding its increased use, it’s not incorrect either. This is evident in that, while the current use of ‘autism’ does as much good for our community as Breakfast at Tiffany’s did for Eastern cultures, the fact that people ARE using it demonstrates that autism awareness is well and truly on the up.
To that extent, those using autism as an insult have unintentionally given our community a much-needed wake-up call (be it more of a slap in the face than a tap on the shoulder), as we now know how much work is still to be done when it comes to increasing autism understanding. This can easily be seen in how autism’s new context is to mock clumsy behaviour – something which, honestly, isn’t really a trait of autism.
Of course, many will say that my current stance on this may seem a little lax (which it certainly is). However, admittedly, my concerns are lowered when I consider how this new trend mirrors my schooldays: where I naively picked up the term ‘gay’ to describe anything and anyone that was less than stellar – for example, if you kissed a girl who you will never see again, my pubescent mind thought that was the gayest thing ever (God I was stupid).
Lack of harmful intent doesn’t justify the trend or excuse my actions though as, regardless of reasoning, discriminatory behaviour still damages perspectives and leaves lasting impressions. This was the consequence of my younger idiocy and, under the current circumstances with autism, the same is very much true.
The Lasting Impact of Using Autism as an Insult:
Put simply, when you call someone autistic as an insult, you reduce our condition down to our worst (or even imagined) traits and then normalize this view as an offhanded comment. For those who deliver the message, that’s probably not even a 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th thought but, for those trapped in the stigma left behind, it is an unavoidable truth.
In some circumstances, this may have the unfortunate effect of monkey see, monkey do (in which those who hear the ‘insult’ later imitate it), but it is perhaps more damning when these charged attacks fall on ears who have never heard of autism before, subsequently developing a picture of our community that sees various negative behaviours rolled into one.
This presents further challenges when it is considered that autism can already be an isolating condition (in which 63% of us are currently being bullied) and, as reports of autism as an insult increase, both young and older autists may further suppress their identity out of fear of ridicule.
Of course, there does come a time when some members within our community may speak out against the issues this name-calling causes, but it’s all too frequent that those instigating it will rely on the idiot’s retort of ‘calm down, it’s just a joke’ – or, if you’re speaking to someone who has the kind of parenting skills that make Matilda’s adopted family look good, you may be told that ‘boys will be boys’.
As the scowl on your face and the fist you subconsciously made indicates, this is aggravating for many reasons (such as how it makes out that those who are immobilized by their quirks are a joke), but I personally hate these kinds of phrases as they push the misbelief that, when it comes to our condition, autistic people are sticks in the mud, unable to see the funny side to our alternative way of thinking. So, what needs to be done?
Ending the Use of Autism as an Insult:
Nevertheless, autistic people are not alone as a community for coming under scrutiny by just existing, as it has become somewhat a right of passage for any group coming into their own that we will be targeted before we are accepted.
As you no doubt agree, this is not how it should be and is why, despite the expectation that autism as an insult will eventually fade, it’s far more pressing that we fight the trend of targeting marginalized groups, than try to save ourselves.
Unfortunately, doing this may not bring about a resolution any time soon (and it may actually bring more unwanted attention) yet, if this is the burden we must bear to ensure that, while we are not first, we can be the last, then I for one believe it is worth it.
Carry on the Conversation:
What is your experience of people using autism as an insult? Let me know in the comments below. And, if you want to explore further how autistic people can become the target of discrimination, then click this similar article I created titled: Autism Exploitation: How to Spot It and How to Make It Stop.
As always, I can be found on Twitter @AutismRevised and via my email: AutisticandUnapologetic@gmail.com.
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Thank you for reading and I will see you next week for more thoughts from across the spectrum.
