How would you describe your friends? Perhaps individual, intelligent, sensitive, independent or talented.
How would you describe autistic people? People are likely to say they are different, gifted, weird, awkward or special.
The DSM-5, which is used to define symptoms and diagnose diseases uses the following words to describe autism:-
Deficit x 9
Impairment x 8
Abnormal x 4
Difficulties x 3
Unusual x 3
Failure x 2
Poorly integrated x 1
Lack x 1
Absence x 1
Disturbance x 1
The language we use matters, it influences how others receive us and how we perceive ourselves. The words often chosen to describe autistic people are divisory and derogatory, which is a reflection on how we are viewed by friends, family and colleagues. These influences are also displayed in how autistic people are treated differently, whilst perhaps stemming from good intentions can be massively detrimental to the individual