Trigger Warning – Autistic Abuse mentioned.
So many stories, so much expression of tragedy. So much media full of so many things that are just terrible and speak of ignorance, and negativity. It’s a tragedy, of course. 
But, I am here to tell you…
The autism glass is actually more than half full…
Parents chaining children to beds, tying them to chairs, murder suicides, but yet…
The autism glass is more than half full…
In the midst of tragedy there is life. In the midst of negativity there is joy and happiness. Pride and wonder.
Yes. Happy. I am happy to be autistic. It is who I am, it is who I always have been and whom I always will be. And.
The autism glass is more than half full.
It really is. This is not some statement of denial about the challenges and difficulties that are faced as an autistic, personally or for others. Yes it’s hard at times to negotiate the world I live in. Yes it’s hard to deal with sensory input that overloads me. To deal with social situations that I do not understand and have difficulty comprehending.
There is no denying that the pressure of living an autistic life in the midst of a neurotypical society brings challenge and difficulty and can be disabling.
There is no denying that the autistic spectrum is real and that there are infinite expressions of autism on that spectrum. But still.
The autistic glass is more than half full.
Being disabled, whether by the medical model or the social model, does not mean that the glass is half empty. It does not mean negativity, disaster and catastrophe.
It does of course mean difference and diversity. But what’s wrong with that. I would contend that is in fact a good thing. Better that we have difference and diversity than all be walking around like identical robots surely.
It’s time. Yes it’s time to declare the truth that the being autistic is not a tragedy. Being autistic is just as much as any state of being a worthy, wonderful, complete expression of humanity.
I or any other autistic are not broken. Sure I am different. Sure I struggle with some things. But the flip side of those struggles are strengths. Yes. Strengths. I have them too, just like any neurotypical person has them.
That’s right. The autistic glass is more than half full.
I have an extremely good memory. I remember things with extremely good recall, I remember the details, the situation, the words spoken, the things seen, the who, the what, and the where. This is one of my strengths. It has certainly come into play in positive ways in the odd trivia contest, but it’s so much more. It assists me in so many areas of my life. It’s a wonderful strength to have.
It contributes to my autistic glass being more than half full.
Just before writing this piece I watched a documentary about Autistic Artist Stephen Wiltshire. He happens to be a Savant Artist. He has incredible talent. When Michael began school his glass was seen by many to be less than half full and to be in fact probably more than half empty, with little hope for a positive outcome of life.
How wrong those thoughts were. Michael surely has a more than half full autistic glass.
The glass half full or less autism narrative has not been good for autistics. It continues to not be good for autistics. It is time to change that. It’s time to flood the public consciousness with the good news stories, the successes, the wonderful things that autistics achieve. It’s time to change the perception of the glass from half empty to half full.
I as an autistic are just as capable of a fulfilled life as any non autistic. In fact every autistic is capable of this.
Say no to the half empty and yes to the half full.
Change can happen, it will take a conscious effort but it can genuinely occur. This narrative can be changed. The glass can be seen as half full. It is to begin with a matter of choice and a matter of will.
It’s a choice to see the glass half full rather than half empty. To look for the positive and not the negative. To dwell on the positive and not the negative.
Yes the autistic glass is more than half full, let’s share that truth with the world at large.
The autistic artist who appears in so many documentaries is Stephen (not Michael) Wiltshire.
Thanks
I watched the same show about Stephen Wiltshire last night and was moved by his passion and courage.
However, the remarks by the so called specialists were not so wonderful the school even credited itself with Stephen’s talent where in fact it was Stephen who discovered his own talent.
The ignorance that persists in the domains of those who consider themselves experts is astounding.
When asked which was the more important “ability” that Stephen had developed … his drawing or his life and language skills they immediately said ” life skills” this demonstrates the crux of the problems faced by autistics in a NT world.
From my position as an autistic there is no separation between ” talent” and “learned Life and language skills”… they are inextricably intertwined existentially … when a person finds their passion their world changes and it is a shame that often autistics are held back from discovering their own avenue of expression and fulfilment of being… ” Oh! he can’t do that… it might be dangerous, he doesn’t know how, it is too much trouble to enter that area of exploration … of course it could easily be a ‘ she isn’t able/capable .. she won’t be interested I tried that when she was 3 yrs” .. and that was probably the last time the child was presented with a ” new situation” or a “similar situation” and was the emotional and environmental atmosphere conducive to subtly give the child an option in a non threatening manner?
Many mainstream people try to ” encourage” by getting all loud and ” excited” … real or false excitement can be an overload .. and falsity may easily be sensed by the autistic for what it is ” anxiety, apprehension etc” on the part of the non autistic.
I wonder how many non autistics monitor their own behaviour when attempting to relate to an autistic? I reckon that instead they are concentrating on seeing the perceived deficits rather than the strengths of the autistic.
Last night’s show gave us an entry into the world of a very genuine person, no pretentiousness, no false modesty… he called it as it was , how he saw and experienced life.. he was being someone very special… ” a genuine human being” in the greater sense of the expression… something that world on planet Earth rarely witnesses in the “public light” or for that matter in the ordinary every day life as competitive masking that appears to be the requisite for acceptance reigns supreme.
The only person who seemed to really appreciate the person Stephen Whiltshire was a life long friend of his family… his understandings contained a love of the autistic personage of Stephen.
Baron – Cohen in my view was hollow expressing his limited understanding of the existential reality of life on the autism spectrum. Compartmentalising, deconstructing.. etc may be fine applied to inanimate objects or phenomena but when considering human beings it denies the integrity of the individual.
Sadly I am aware that many parents of non verbal and seemingly “low functioning” autistics will not have watched this program as they don’t see the relevance to their own situation … and by avoiding witnessing Stephen’s drawing, his independence and his social interaction all achieved via PASSION , they relegate their autistic to a narrow and unrecognised existence … not tuning in … merely comparing and despairing condemns their autistic relative to an existence where he/she is not SEEN and his/her integrity remains invisible.
. They also condemn themselves to the life of the “burdened victim” expecting someone else or something else to “fix” their autistic child rather than actually getting to know their child by tuning in and allowing themselves to be taught … led on a journey of self discovery… to actually have a relationship with their child person to person, rather than to ” control ” and “manage” being the predominant dynamic.
I wonder how Stephen would have presented a show about himself?
Thanks for your thoughts.
I found the stereotypes and misconceptions from the so -called professionals to be abounding. Baron-Cohen particularly annoyed me.
There was a constant undercurrent of cure culture in the constant appeal to how much Stephen had developed or changed rather than just celebration of his talent.
The Special school educators appeared to be quite ignorant to me to be quite honest and well and truly far too full of themselves.
Stephen was the shining light, going on with who he was and how he went about life regardless of their rubbish and ridicule.
Thanks Richard. I find that it is difficult to speak out.. although I do… and usually I’m pilloried for it…. The Great Silencing, The Great Removal… is centred in the attitudes of those so called experts.. and unfortunately their sense of superiority is pervasive.
At times I’m tempted to give up!
NEVER SURRENDER
Why isn’t it called “Autism Abuse”‘instead of “Autistic Abuse”? “Autistic aabyse” sounds like autistics doing it.
I guess autism abuse would be abusing the thing rather than the actual autistic.
Do you think it is at all possible that any part of the reason that anyone wants to see any autistic cured _might_ be — just maybe — a wish to avoid or minimize the possibility that the autistic’s life may otherwise be perpetually at others’ expense? What would you say to a person (autistic or not) who wishes to avoid/minimize that possibility?
Interesting thought. I am not sure. I guess in the end nobody wants their own existence and fulfilment to be minimised.
It could be said that the autistics’ difficulties are accentuated by the seemingly refusal of non autistics to recognise, accept and accommodate autistics as people instead of defects/deficits. Even if it isn’t obvious to non autistics it doesn’t mean that autistics do not have talents… recognised or unrecognised to bring to the world.
Just think of the patience, resilience and more that autistics have in negotiating the most basic aspects of the sensory overloaded and disordered world created by non autistics.