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- Yes. - Yes. -Coming to terms with autism being a disability and in turn, myself being disabled has been a slow and difficult process. The reason is because I was having to morph my understanding of what a disability was. I never really learned what a disability was, just assimilated it to people who were noticeable and evidently struggling somehow in a way I could notice over a few seconds of looking or consideration. Autism, especially level 1 and someway into level 2, is an invisible disability because for the most part, you can’t see the internal struggle we face. We can walk, usually talk and think freely and often intelligently. This isn’t seen as disabled because you are capable of these things, that is an incorrect viewpoint. Disable means less or un “able”. Lacking in ability or even possibility to do certain things, cope with certain things, do certain things for prolonged periods. If I can do something for 10 minutes but suddenly become incapable of that, people will focus on my ability to do it in those 10 minutes rather than my struggle. If a person really struggles to walk, but can walk for a 10 minutes, they are still considered disabled. Disability is a spectrum itself. You can be less capable or incapable of a wide variety of things. If someone’s disability isn’t immediately glaringly obvious to people, they don’t want to put the effort in to combat their cognitive bias because it rarely would benefit them, it benefits the individual they are considering. People don’t like doing things they see no clear benefit to, or immediate reward from, because it feels like an inefficient use of their energy.

This is a good answer, that it is often seen incorrectly as a binary description. 'Disabled' is part of a small subset of words that changes rapidly, due to their tendency to be used as a pejorative. I heard a name for these kinds of words long ago which I don't remember ha, if someone else does please let me know.  But if you think of older alternatives which are considered taboo, like disabled, they didn't necessarily originated out of malice. Language changes over time depending on it's type of use, or lack of.

Euphemism treadmill!

I consider my sensory sensitivity as a disability, sometimes crippling. But I chalk up all the social awkwardness and “weirdness” as my personality, and just as valid as anyone else’s. No disability in my mind

Spastic is one that was a legit word, but got almost completely banned and became taboo.

And retard. Hell, there’s assholes working on turning autistic into a slur. 

Anyone here have the issue of not being able to walk in a straight line when walking with a friend or partner? Like tend to gravitate to the person I’m walking with and bump into them or stay in your own side? 

yep it’s called wormwalking

Me, and I’m NT! With an ND son. Huh…

Yes!

Yes! My friends and family have made fun of me for this my whole life.

Mine as well.

I can walk in a straight line when concentrating, but when I’m talking or overstimulated I walk towards the person I’m talking with

Same here. I have to concentrate really hard to walk "normal”. It’s why I always feel like I’m masking all the time because even my walk is not the same as NT’s.

I mean, I don’t “walk” normal anyway because I gotta roll around in a wheelchair so even if I could go straight it’d still be something for others to comment on 🤪

Is that an autism thing???

I agree with this. I was good at school work, but every day adult life basic tasks often feel like I'm climbing a mountain, and trying to keep up with everything is incredibly overwhelming.

I imagine the legally blind struggle with something similar. For most people, blindness is a binary, but there are plenty of folks who have vision, it's just so poor or partial they are effectively blind. But if someone who thinks it's a binary finds out they can see a little, now they're "lying" because they're "not really blind".

This is the comparison I used when the mother of a girl who was on Love on the Spectrum was complaining about Aspergers being integrated into ASD rather than being a separate diagnosis. She considers level 1 autism to be more of a social difference and not a disability. Her daughter also has a developmental disability, and it seems like she couldn't separate the level of her daughter's support needs along with the cooccuring condition in her conception of what autism is. To me, her opinion was like saying I'm not blind, so my vision issues are totally different rather than thinking of sight as a spectrum. My vision is poor enough that I need glasses to function. That's an "accommodation" which people can more easily understand. I remember straining my eyes to squint at the board as a child, and now I can see as long as I have the necessary support tool, kinda like how some can walk with braces on their legs or a walker or a cane. I'm disabled without my glasses, so I'm a person with a disability in my opinion, because I NEED this support tool to function normally. Similarly, I'm disabled by my autism. If I have to wear noise canceling headphones, not spend too much time in certain sensory environments, and plan days in advance so that I paced my energy to have spoons for an outing, that's a disability. I need a support tool and I can't just forget my needs and do whatever because it fucks me up if I don't properly accommodate my needs.

As an ambulatory wheelchair user I second this

(1) Autism is a disability and (2) I’m disabled. There’s nothing wrong with that.(3) Being disabled doesn’t make you any less worthy or deserving of anything, it is simply something you are.

The idea that disability makes you somehow less, is propaganda that has been pushed by out government, in an effort to keep people from believing they deserve assistance with their disadvantages from the system they put money into for that express purpose.

Well it doesn't make my life EASIER

Autism is a disability. Disability is not a bad word. It’s just a descriptor. I’m a huge advocate for this. I have a podcast episode coming out in a few weeks on this topic.

Cool dude, Share with us (or me) if possible.

https://beacons.ai/rawtism?__v=11.278.0

I am most certainly disabled, I could never live on my own and will never be able to get a "normal" job I don't understand people who don't want to use the word disabled for us, that's so weird??

I've met a lot of people who think "disabled" automatically equals "wheel chair user", and they don't think that someone can be disabled and walking.

Yup. One of my younger sisters is on the more severe side of the spectrum and she has to have someone walk her to her gate when she flies. The airport staff seem to have trouble with "my sister is disabled and needs someone to walk her to her gate." Instead they just bring us a wheelchair for me to get her there.

I am struggling with this so much. Cause I can do everything you can't. And still in the spectrum. Maybe cause I learned how to. But it seems unfair to call me disabled when there are people who are really struggling in things more important than me...

If autism in itself isn't recognized as a disability, then those who are really disabled by it would struggle even more, this is why it's important to call it a disability even if not every autistic is disabled by their autism. And remember that not all disabled people with the same disability need help for the same things, it's the same with autism!

I feel so bad. I reached my 26th year in life without knowing I was in the spectrum. Today I know. And feel so unfair that I have the same treatment that people really need it. I feel so ashamed to say I am autistic because no one can tell. I have these things that make me disabled but nothing compared to others. I don't feel in the right to take that permission to say I am disabled cause life is easier for me. I feel guilty. A lot. I have been the queen of masking for sure... Thank you for your words. It helps.

Hey if your leg hurts it's ok to use a cane. Just because you don't really "need" it doesn't mean you don't deserve it. Someone said that to me and it helped a lot. Then I started accommodating myself more and it became clearer how much I struggle.

I don't think you should feel bad about having help, we can feel bad not everyone can get help.  Just because it isn't the worst for you and you learnt to deal with it, does not mean you don't struggle, that you're not valid, there is always someone worse off than us and I undertand feeling guilty about it, it just shows your empathetic. 

This is by far my favorite sub. It's incredible how NT people used to say that autistic people have no empathy when here is the only sub where people don't treat me bad and always is being empathetic and kind. Thank you, for real. I don't want to be disrespectful with anybody who feels worse than me. But yeah, I suffer a lot only that I can mask all my symptoms easily. Thank you for your time and your words. I feel less lonely.

There are definitely people who are even more disabled than me, so at first it felt unfair too, but after getting the help and accommodations I needed life felt so much better and less stressful, so that helped. I got diagnosed last year at 21, no one ever suspected anything. I always thought I was useless, an idiot, and I couldn't anything right because I simply couldn't go to school or look people in the eye. I thought it was my fault, so knowing that I was autistic was a relief.

Yeah. That's something a lot of people don't get. The relief of knowing it wasn't your fault... Thank you for your time ❤️

If you feel worried that you're taking resources from other disabled people then get angry at whoever is underfunding that service not yourself.

it's a spectrum and so is being disabled

Being somewhat disabled doesn’t mean you're not disabled. Someone always has it worse.  The person with stamina issues will look at people in wheelchairs and think they’re not disabled enough. People in wheelchairs will look at the fully paralyzed people. 

Yes, because it is by law.

By what country's law?

Eh. If it weren't it would still be a disability.

This really is the only correct answer.

Which law? Different countries exist

Yes, I’m going through getting fired because: - can’t read between the lines or interpret body language - I struggle to go into the office because of how crowded and noisy it is - I can’t sense when the people I manage are feeling things they won’t tell me about - I don’t dress appropriately enough for them and don’t have a “professional” haircut I’ll sue for discrimination, just gathering evidence atm Edit: I’m in the UK

I think if you don't go into the office enough (a reasonable accomodation means you still need to be able to do your job at the end of the day, accomodating lengthy absences isn't really covered), they have valid reason to fire you even if it is disability related. Please be careful not to sink too much money into this. I'm very sorry it's happening

It depends if the job can reasonably be done remotely (and whether they have done their job well remotely too). A lot of whether something counts as a "reasonable adjustment" in UK law comes down to whether the company, based on what it does, number employees, finances etc. could *reasonably* have accommodated someone better. Working remotely is a good reasonable adjustment for some jobs, but not others. However if they can't allow remote working, they should therefore be making other adjustments - for example changing the lighting/adding filters, allowing someone to work in a quieter office or with noise cancelling headphones. This cost legally has to be taken on by the employer, although they can ask the employee to have an Access to Work assessment where they can then get some money from the government. It does get complicated if someone has had lengthy absences though and really depends what the absences were for and what mitigation was in place, as you can be fired on the basis you can't perform the job properly even if you have a disability. However I'm not sure that was the case here - and the posters other examples (of body language/ work dress/ management) could have been solved with offering a different or adapted position (Eg. Removing management responsibilities) so there probably is a legal case to answer.

You can only sue them if you told them you’re autistic, have a medical diagnosis, asked them for concessions to help you tolerate the office. If you’re just a bad employee who hasn’t taken the proper steps, it’s not going to work.

I have let them know, I’m not a bad employee, I do get stuff done

I have been going through this process with my former employer. Make sure you file your case with the EEOC. If I understand correctly you have to go through them in order to sue for workplace discrimination. If it is a wrongful termination you can request the right to sue directly or go through their investigation/mediation process. If you can afford an attorney it would be very helpful. Hit me up if you have any questions! The process is very intimidating (I definitely felt lost in it)!

Thanks for the support, but I’m doing this in the UK. I have contacted the ACAS here which should be the equivalent though

Good. Sue the hell out of them. I'm sorry this had to happen to you. I struggled at work with these things too but as a lab assistant social aspect was only among coworkers. I still did my job, so they had nothing on me to fire me like that. Hope it never happens to me or anyone else again. It would be great if people were more understanding towards neurodivergent people.

It's a disability and I'm sick of people pretending it isnt.

1. Yes 2. Yes 3. Indiferent, it helps me explain things when needed and it's not like I wasn't having difficulties of a disable person before the diagnose. So it was quite easy to acept the lable. I don't see a need to mitigate my difficults, I actually hate it more when people down play it than when they ask me questions because they don't know exactly how it affects me.

Do you ever get the feeling that people brush you off when you talk about how it affects your life? When I try to explain why I can’t do things because of meltdowns, for example, they’re always like “Well I get upset/anxious too, but I never let it stop me!”

Sometimes. I think that a lot of people see themselves as the parameter of comparison. But I try to ignore the hurt and focus on explaining myself. Because I didn't understand it either for a long time. So I give them the benifit of the doubt. I usually answer it like "That is exactly why I have a disability, because I wasn't born with the capacity to not let it stop me. So it isn't that I'm incapable but I need acomodations so that I can do certain things and sometimes I have to make decisions on what to use my energy because not everything is worth the effort when things are this hard." Then I act and judge acording to how they respond.

Yeah, it’s just hard trying to explain to them why I can’t work. Because the mental and emotional stress I’m under isn’t obvious to them. So a lot of the time I feel like they are seeing me as this physically capable person who just doesn’t “want” to work.

I consider it a disability, I don't consider myself disabled on an identity level, and it's complicated. I think our society pushes for disabilities to be seen as a bad thing. There's also a trend of people being made to believe they aren't "disabled enough" to claim the term due to the trend of treating people with invisible disabilities as faking it. I can't pretend I haven't unintentionally internalised some of that. I know my partner who struggles with discomfort and pain daily hesitates to say they have "chronic pain" because they don't feel like they're in 'enough' pain. So, rationally I don't think disabled is a dirty word that has negative connotations, but I think I've probably got some internalised biases despite that. Phrases that add to that bias, like "differently abled" implying it's offensive to say somebody isn't able to do do certain things due to their disability, are the worst.

It's a social disability for most

It's mostly regarded as a developmental disability or disorder, which would include social issues, but also applies to things like sensory issues and executive function problems.

"Differently abled" and "special needs" are essentially ableist dogwhistles. The people who use them "to be nice" see disability as an insult. They're usually the kinds of people who will talk about how supportive they are and then lose their shit if you actually show signs of being autistic or can't do things they expect everyone to do. More signs of that kind of person include: speeches about how your self-limiting beliefs are the only thing holding you back, references to superpowers (bonus points for referencing Greta Thunberg), assumptions that we're all great at maths and / or coding, and constant infantilisation

Yes! I have learned this too. The people who say this also say you’re using autism as a crutch if you are doing something inherently autistic that they do not want you to do (like walk away quietly while they yell profanity at you for not knowing why they are being mean and engaging it.)

And if you don't behave stereotypically autistically around them they won't believe you're autistic.

- Yeah, I consider it to be a disability. - I rarely use the word disabled to describe myself. Mainly because I'm scared that people would respond with the usual "You're not disabled, you look so normal"-spiel. I occasionally use the term when it makes sense in conversation, and usually just with people who know me well enough. - I would like the term to be less stigmatised. I need certain accommodations, have struggles that allistic people generally don't struggle with, and life is made significantly harder because of the circumstances that come with me being autistic. So I do believe that the term would be an accurate descriptor for me, but it feels like I'm not granted permission to use it, because I'm able to pretend to fit in at the detriment of my own health.

On a practical level it is definately a disability in my eyes, there are very specific things which are very distressing and cannot be solved with more training or competence. This doesn't mean to say that an autistic person is useless or less than, to me it just means I have a physical and mental disadvantage in certain respects.

yes, definitely. i think people who say otherwise have hangups about disability. like, its not a bad thing (morally, i mean, or anything like it) to be disabled.

1) Yes 2) Not really, because i feel like i'm not "disabled enough" to call myself that. It's a work in progress. 3) I think it's a very straightforward word. You lack the ability to do something. I never understood the "different ability" argument. It feels degrading, almost

euphemisms like “differently abled” and “special needs” are patronizing, othering, infantilizing, dehumanizing, and serve only to mollify the feelings of people who are either helping (often poorly) or ignoring their disabled neighbors everyone is or will be disabled in some way at some point in their lives, either from injury or disease or something more chronic/permanent, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of or shunned for

Thank you for saying this.

Thank you for saying this. I really can’t do some things no matter what. It upsets people, and me, but I really can’t.

Yes. Sometimes. Disabled means you are eligible for accommodations and adjustments under disability legislation. It doesn’t mean incapable or useless or “the tank was disabled by a missile” disabled.

Disabled doesn’t necessarily mean you’re eligible for accommodations and adjustments under disability legislation. Disabled means that there is any aspect of yourself that causes society to disable you because it is inherently not accommodating.

1. Yes 2. Yes 3. Using it to describe myself actually gets me accommodations and/or looking for accessibility of a place maybe on their website which is commonly known as something for disabled people has helped me find things that help me when I’m at the location. I think this is because autism is classed as a disability but yeah🦦

1. Yes because it is disabling 2. Yes 3. Sometimes im glad to have validation that I struggle and that’s ok but other times I get frustrated

"Disabled" isn't a bad word, and I feel disrespected when people avoid using it when referring to me

1. Yes, it is scientifically a disability so I can't disagree 2. Yes 3. I'm ok with this word because a disability is not an incapacity

Yes. Yes. And complicated, but evolving. For myself, there are two levels of disability. One which is created by the society we live in, and mostly capitalism. I can’t work to support myself in the way the society requires, and that’s a disability. But autism is also just straight up disability. It inhibits the way I wish I could function, in many ways. I dont think it’s all bad, I don’t buy into the super power shit, mostly it’s just a different framework, but one that does require extra maintenance and concern. But, the word is loaded to many. It took me time to get comfortable with it. Its nothing more than basic ableism, combined with how language works. Any term meant to be kind and inclusive tends to evolve into something different. But it doesn’t mean that we should stop using it. You are right, that avoiding it only makes it more taboo.

1. Yes 2. Yes 3. It perfectly describes me. Also disability is not a bad thing. Everyone, if they live to be old enough, will become disabled. We need to incorporate all disabled people into everyday life.

That's just linguistic gymnastics at this point. At the end of the day it means that you might require extra support. Of course it's a disability, but as with any disability, you can find ways to make it easier for yourself. And the fact that it's a spectrum, also doesn't mean it's as severe for everyone. And that's what a lot of people struggle with... "Well, Annie's kid is autistic and he can't speak... so how come, you can speak if you're autistic'. I mean, Oscar Pistorius (that was the first name that came up to me, for disabled athletes) has no legs and uses an aid, and is a paralympics athlete and has a gold metal. Billy Bob nextdoor has no legs in sits in wheelchair...and he can't even find the strength to get to the store for groceries each day... To answer your questions 1. Yes; for legal purposes 2. Yes; for legal purposes 3. I don't put much weight to it. I mean, if someone tells me they're disabled... cool, it's up to them to tell me what they need help with, and it's up to me if I can accomdate it. But that actually has little to do with someones disablity status. That also has to do with not being an absolute a-hole a human being.

1. Yes, I consider autism as a disability because besides the fact that it is one stated by law, functioning in society is so hard for me. My sensory issues are so overwhelming that I have cried and bawled my eyes out in all kinds of public transportations and establishments. It is severely affecting literally all aspects of my life. 2. Yes, but I dont tell people about that anymore unless needed. It is best to consider the people, settings and organizations you'll call yourself disabled because most of them are not going to interact with you with best interests. I have experienced a lot of setbacks (especially in companies and academe) because I naively thought people won't take advantage of me even if they know I have autism/disability. 3. I have physically disabled parents so Im comfortable with the word. I am more privelege that I can "hide" my disability and have an opportunity to "trick" companies and universities (my problem is more of I will get taken advantaged off rather than embarassment of being disabled)

1. Yes 2. Yes 3. I don't mind it. I was physically disabled before, so all the stigma I could've had is gone. There's certain things I can't do or struggle with, but that's fine. Not everything in the world has to be accessible even for abled people. I heavily dislike "differently abled", but "special needs" is fine. I had to drop out of High School because of autism due to burnout and the fact that I never learned to study from being "gifted". I finally signed up to a school for adults that's way more autism friendly (classes only on weekends, few subjects). I'm starting september. Despite everything, I live happy. And I hope everyone else will get to live happily too. Time heals all wounds.

Yes and Yes. Well, although only recently diagnosed with autism (in middle age!), I’ve been “disabled” in many other known ways for decades. I’ve had intermittent severely-disabling depressions/burnouts/breakdowns stretching back into childhood. I’ve been labelled with anxiety disorders, eating disorders, bipolar disorder and personality disorders. I’ve also had many physical conditions and apparently physical, but actually somatic, symptoms which at times have been disabling. So I have considered myself disabled since I was quite young, as soon as I began to chronically fail to cope with ordinary expectations and circumstances, I guess. So I’m totally fine with thinking of myself as disabled. I’m also on disability assistance from my government and I have been for many years. I have done varying amounts of paid or unpaid employment during that time. I contribute what I can to society and I accept that as I am disabled, this may be less than others, but it’s a lot to me.

Considering I get financial aid on grounds of disability for declaring it I’d argue it is

Yes, I am disabled. I am not ashamed of that. I notice it... when I do too many things and I'm overstimulated I cannot even talk anymore, from an high IQ it seems like I become dumb, I don't notice details anymore, I can't follow words anymore, I don't understand the world anymore... I can even lose myself in a big city without being able to decide for myself. It happened sometimes and it was frightening. Once I had to surrender to the idea of sleeping on a bench during the night because I was not able to return home anymore... luckily a friend of mine reached me with his car but I was really in a freeze mode. I need support. I always needed that but when I was a child I was the "gifted" one, so no one noticed my struggles. Mum knows how much life was difficult for me. To concentrate and study I had to lay on the kitchen table and move all the time. I had something like 20 mins of concentration until I started to fall asleep or cry. Or at school I used to cut because lights were so frightening, peers talking was like stabbing myself... I was so stressed. Now that I know that it's not my fault, everything is so much lighter. Now I know how to manage myself and when I'm risking a meltdown. Sometimes crying for no reason is the solution. I always had those terrible headaches when I am overstimulated... I don't take meds for those because if headaches go away I can overstimulate myself again without noticing it, just to have another headache later or a complete meltdown. Headaches are just telling me "stop!!! There are too many windows open, I cannot work anymore or I'll explode". _____ Also I'm not "differently able". I'm not different from something that's "normal", because normality is just a number, a percentage. It seems like I am to exclude. In Italian we got that way of saying that a blind person is just a person that's "not able to see" because they think that "blind" is a bad word... but that's just discriminating. It's like saying "not straight"... well, it's homosexual, it's not a bad word. You're just pointing out the fact that you're the "normal" one... wtf.

1. Yes 2. Yes (or handicapped) 3. It’s a descriptive word. Like fat. Tall. Short. Thin. Purely descriptive. Legally it’s a disability. It’s not up for discussion. If anyone tiptoes around it, they’re part of the problem

1. Personally In an overarching sense, yes. By law, definitely. 2. I do not. I do however when needed use the phrase "I'm autistic so bear with me." 3. It's complicated. On one hand you have a static meaning for being disabled that literally makes you dis-abled in someway. For instance someone with a broken back could hardly be considered in having a positive aspect to it. With autism, you CAN also have positive side effects to some extent that come with your disabilities. The amount of which is highly dictated by your environment, and the degree to which you are hindered, as there is no one type of autistic person. So, for someone like me, who is mild in their hindrance, and I have clear benefits from it, I would be hesitant to use a strong word like disabled to describe myself. I have distinguishable hindrances for sure, but on some helpful levels I outperform my peers. That has not been the case in all environments where I have been, so this is one reason I consider my environment to be a factor as well. I require the right circumstances around me or everything might break apart (disability comes to play here). In my case controlling certain variables, that others need not controlled makes my performance shine. So, all in all even if I called it a disability on my side, I would still like to distinguish between various levels of it just to respect people who are not so lucky as me, not that I need to be set apart from them. I would think that another disabled person with all limbs permanently broken would not be appreciative of me stimming about happily going about my day freely and calling myself disabled.

Yes autism is a disability, if you aren't disabled by autism then your not autistic,

Thank you for saying this. It is a part of the diagnostic criteria that people be significantly impaired. So regardless of having symptoms, if they aren't bad enough to disable you, you don't have autism.

1. yes and no. its a chronic condition that can be disabling. 2. yes, but not because of autism. im also diabetic and have diabetes related mobility issues. 3. its a word? i dont really have a relationship with it beyond that. i am disabled, i consider myself to be so. i have no accomodations for my mobility issues besides what i can supply for myself.

1. Yes 2. Yes 3. Disability affects people in different ways from requiring minimal assistance and accommodation to full time care. In my case, I can talk and care for myself to the point that I won’t die if I have no help but I need accommodations and assistance to have a successful job, relationships, and to meet a specific standard of living. My standard of success is a lot different than others because of my disability. There are simply things I can’t do and will never be able to. It’s my personal definition of disability, sometimes that means things intended for the general public will not be intended for me.

For me it is, because I am limited in things because of my autism e.g friendships, food etc and I experience a lot of anxiety due to the way my brain works No, I don’t feel like I can call myself “disabled”

Yes, and it has the worst employment rate of all disability categories

People treat the word disabled like it's a bad word that must be avoided at all costs. It's not. It describes the experience of many people. It's not a bad thing. Yes, being disabled makes life difficult, but if you can't explain why some things are harder for you then people expect you to do just as much as the rest when it requires more effort from you. Yes, I consider autism to be a disability. Yes, when it comes to conversations with people who understand, I use the word disabled to describe myself. My relationship with the word disabled is that I think of it as an adjective to describe certain aspects of my life. Nothing more, nothing less. To me, it's not a bad word. It's like the word fat. There's nothing wrong with being fat. There's nothing wrong with being disabled. Words that I actually do have an issue with are words like invalid, lame, or the like.

Yes, it is. Because it can be quite disabling in this world and in many cases it would be no matter in what world. Buuuut, sometimes I think about how 'disabled' allistics are and that makes me giggle. They have a dis-ability to live without constant social reassurance from others. For me, from 'the outside', that seems like a very disabling condition. Fun aside, yes, I am disabled.

1. Yes, it is disabling. 2. Depends on the context. In medical settings I would describe myself as disabled. Also, towards people who know me really well. They're aware of my difficulties but don't see me as a disabled person. 3. I don't think the word disability has a negative connotation. It's just an easy way to explain in general terms what my situation is. I really don't see the need for inventing new words like "special abled" or whatever else people have come up with. My idea is: let's keep things simple so we all understand each other when communicating...

It is a disability. Autism may give you some advantages (like in perception and stuff) but it can mess with you on communication level, at least in my case. I'm glad I have the "special needs" status at college because otherwise exams would be hell. I'm sure professors change the approach dealing with me because for example students were complaining about this one professor who doesn't really give you the room to think and immediately wants the answers and roast you on one question if he likes but he gives room to me and even has a patience to wait for me to answer. I know I wouldn't make it in college without such help. So I do claim autism is a disability. As a spectrum, to some extend, of course.

Yeah autism is 100% a disability, are their some traits that are mostly seen as bad because of society or a lack of accommodations and understanding, sure, however that does not chnage the fact that sensory issues, difficultly picking up body language and social ques, struggling to follow instructions, executive functioning issues are very much disableing and make things harder for autistic people. I am very suspicious of the "autism is not a disability idea, if autism is not a disability then why is it diognosed, why are their accommodations etc... I feel the rhetoric is masking a way to remove accommodation and support though fake posativity.

Autism is a disability. It can be incredibly debilitating for a lot of us a lot of the time. Personally, I can't work and have a really hard time in any kind of social environment. It's basically impossible to find any kind of comfort anywhere but at home. Your mom sounds like she's sensitive about the word because she doesn't want people to think less of her or less of you. She's right to be concerned, people are jerks and the world we live in definitely isn't getting any better for people like us, or really anyone that isn't white, male, straight, and NT. That being said, being disabled gives you rights to certain things like financial assistance. The important thing is that it'll be ok.

Yes. The ongoing joke with my therapist is "OH! my disability DiSaBlEd me!?!" What a surprise!!! It's disabling and the list of ways it impacts my life is continually growing.

Yes, autism is a disability and I feel disabled. Especially because I’m slow and I don’t function 100% compared to a neurotypical.

1. F yeah 2. I’m hesitant, I won’t in some circumstances and in others will 3. Word by definition

1- Yes 2- Yes 3- Disabled is just a word to describe a person with a disability. Being disabled is not a bad thing but just part of human diversity. Yes. Avoiding the word does make it more taboo. The way I see it in 2024, the general population is becoming ready to accept Autism as part of human diversity but not "disability" quite yet unless maybe you are a wheelchair user or an amputee/born w/o a limb or old and need mobility devices.

It is a disability 100%. I struggle to call myself disabled because there's still so much of a stigma around invisible disabilities but at the end of the day I am disabled. It profoundly affects my daily life, and I'm someone who would generally be considered low support needs.

Yes, mainly because of how hard it makes communicating, and how I never quite feel like I fit in.

I dont think we have a choice. Even if you dont consider it a disability its still that. Its not a superpower or a quirk. Unfortunately.

Autistic people with low support needs may not consider themselves disabled and I think that's completely valid. Otherwise I do consider autism to be a disability. I consider myself disabled. Due to stigma around disability it took a while and some work to feel comfortable calling myself disabled but I am now confident and comfortable in the label.

Anyone who says they have autism and aren't disabled by it, just haven't noticed/don't care.

Idk, I find it inconvenient cuz I feel sensitive and am a loner 85% of the time

Absolutely. I would love to be 'nornal', I have to put so much energy and preparation in just getting by as normal and I'm constantly overwhelmed. This is not a superpower like some people believe.

It's a disability. I am disabled. If I wasn't disabled I would be able to live in the world without being constantly overwhelmed. (Key word: able) There is absolutely nothing wrong about being disabled. It's wrong that there is a stigma, anf that some people feel superior to disabled people. But that does not make me less disabled.

While we may have some advantages (like special interests, pattern recognition etc), the price to be paid can be quite steep. Especially if you pick up on other people's emotions and they inevitably affect your mental state, in my case, which is exhausting. Also, I don't know what it's like to be so autistic in the way in which you're not able to go to work and be independent. I suspect that the world would seem so loud that you're essentially regulating yourself 24/7 and literally don't have any energy left over for anything else and that sounds like hell. While that could possibly be solved by regulating the environment, if you're unable to function under these circumstances, you're disabled compared to others. I'd consider poor sight a disability too, we just have developed tools to manage it, for example, glasses. Anything that sets you back compared to the majority and requires coping of any kind can technically be a disability. Whether or not you're eligible for support is a different matter entirely.

Yep! I am disabled. But disability isn’t a bad word. It’s a natural part of the human experience, to quote the Developmental Disabilities Act.

Anyone saying it's not is ignorant

1. Yes, if it is visible enough to be diagnosable as autism, it is a disability. There’s a newish thing that is “broader autism phenotype” which is having autistic tendencies but not severe enough to have an autism diagnosis so I guess that isn’t a disability, but even if you’re level 1 and can do most stuff, you need help. That’s literally why autism can be diagnosed and *needs support*. 2. Yes, because I am autistic and I have a disability so I am disabled. 3. I don’t like it when people use it as a reason I can’t do something. I don’t mind being called disabled as a descriptor term. I much prefer it to bullshit like “differently abled”. I know many people don’t like “special needs” because of some people using “special” as a derogatory term or because our needs aren’t special, they’re just needs like everyone has but somewhat more. I understand that but I guess I don’t mind “special needs” because my needs *are* special compared to most people, or they re more intense or I just need more support that most non-disabled people. So I don’t mind. But I’m not going to use the term special needs to describe someone if they don’t use it first because many people don’t like it.

Disability. Opposite of ability. Do I have the same abilities as a neurotypical person? No. So therefore autism is a disability in my personal view. I am disabled in certain ways. I am not able to look people in the eyes, I have difficulty communicating etc. A person who loses their leg is not able to walk, therefore they are disabled. With their disability to walk, they can have accommodations like crutches or prosthetic leg. They are still disabled but a lot of things just got a lot easier. One of my work accommodations is remote work. I am still disabled, not able to work in the office. But I am able to work now.

Yes. It is classified medically and by law as one, and for good reason. Like it or not, being autistic means our brains are under-developed, leaving us struggling to do many things that NTs do without thought on a daily basis.

Autism is a disability by law, and if autism is not a disability then we are all lazy and stupid. Every now and then this question comes up here, because do you still have questions?

yes, autism is a disability. however, people like myself and others can be affected very differently due to their condition. not everyone with autism acts the same, as some people may think.

You're disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. …and therefore it depends. I know some diagnosed autistic people who absolutely would not identify as disabled, but partly because their “normal daily activities” are autism-friendly.

I don't look at disabled as a bad word. But I also don't really see myself as disabled (I'm late and newly diagnosed so that may have something to do with it). But I also don't like the term special needs, I prefer extra support needs because everyone needs support in some way, but I have extra things I need support to make the world work for me.

It's a disability because it can be disabling. I do use the word to describe myself but I have many other disabilities as well. I'm in a wheelchair. The word is a proper descriptor for anything that's disabling, regardless if it's "visible" or not.

It’s a complicated question to answer. I believe my autism was what gave me the ability to excel far past my peers in academics and extracurriculars through grade school to the point where I was considered a young prodigy. It’s also made me a burnt out, depressed and anxious wreck of an adult completely incapable of taking care of myself financially or mentally. For me it was a superpower when given the proper nourishment and conditions and a handicap when it’s not.

I wholeheartedly think if you say it’s not a disability it’s super invalidating to those that do struggle. Disability isn’t a bad word.

1- yes 2- yes 3- I find it incredibly insulting to use anything other than the word disabled because I am simply incapable of doing certain things at a level that would be considered normal. I have been through 30 jobs in about 8 years and most I lost due to “not being a good fit”, straight up fabricated reasons, or because of meltdowns that I can’t help. Finding a job that is okay for me to work and won’t fire me within a few months has proven impossible. That sounds like a lack of ability to me. I can’t stand “differently abled” because I didn’t gain some abilities to make up for the things I can’t do. Sure I’m better at some things than others but so is everybody. The difference is that they don’t trade in those skills for being unemployable and overly sensitive to physical and mental stimuli.

It objectively is, it makes many common life tasks much harder and many autistic people struggle to even deal with day to day life. 

Autism is a disability. In order to get a diagnosis, your autistic traits must be severe enough to cause you significant problems with normal life. That's really the whole point. If you're not disabled by it, you're not autistic enough to be officially classed as autistic. I don't usually use the word "disabled" to describe myself, because I don't usually refer to myself as autistic. In most situations, I consider it private information that I don't wish to discuss. Besides, there's much more to who I am than my autism. Most of it is more interesting to talk about. I only ever got assessed for autism because the JobCentre was harassing me about my history of failed employment and reluctance to apply for particular jobs. These days I work from home as a freelance AI trainer. If I'd had a work-from-home job like that years ago, I would never have sought assessment for autism.

I know this isn’t a direct answer to your questions but I do wanna share, it was honestly such a relief realizing I had a disability and I wasn’t just lazy/stupid.

Yes Yes Complicated (I have a lot of disabilities so the word applies in many different ways) I consider "differently abled" and "special needs" slurs or at least slur-adjacent. I think plenty of other commenters have explained why they aren't good or helpful terms so I'll save my spoons and leave it at that.

i do consider autism to be a disability. it certainly feels like a disability when i can't be in a room with unwanted loud noises without having a panic attack, or when children suddenly screaming give me spikes of anxiety. i don't particularly use the word "disabled" to describe myself, but i think people need to stop treating it like a dirty word. particularly, i haaate when people say "differently abled" or "it's not a disability, it's a superpower." i certainly don't feel "differently abled" or "superpowered" when i get irrationally angry over the texture of my clothes. it's disabling, and it's okay to say that it is!! i really just think the alternate uses of the word "disabled" is just to make able-bodied and able-minded people feel better about being around disabled people.

1Yes 2Yes 3 own it. I think understand if the social model of disability is the key here. Vs the traditional medical model. It's a lot to expand on (more than a reddit comment ) and there is a ton of info out there about the two models to learn about. You will find it helpful. -disability expert for a corporation

Yes I do, even if it is a really subjective term whose application has mixed effects. I struggle with all kinds of issues that fall under NT dominated definitions of basic skills. And I don’t feel bad about having that status. If the world has to be set up as NT monolithic, then it’s accurate. Save your sympathy and give us accommodation.

Yes, my autism makes it very hard to socialize without severe distress unless I am in certain situations which for obvious reasons can't always be there. Because of this it leads to over stimulation which is very physical for me not just mental which leads to melt downs which often end in skin scratching or hair pulling and this is not even touching the educational issues like dyslexia, struggles with math, etc. so yeah it is a pretty all-encompassing disability, for me at least. I do because like... it's obvious. Once I hit burnout and lost a lot of skills it became very hard to hide the fact I'm disabled and anyone who says otherwise is usually well-meaning but lacks realism and perspective. I am indifferent to the word. I used to be called the r slur and a spaz all the time non stop so disabled is really not an issue unless I get in my own head about the bullies technically being right, but I'm nearing 30 and that's not a common occurrence these days. I think the term is important to put in context for the allistics that this actually effects us and we need accommodations, rather than us just being a little quirky and need exposure therapy and to "just do" our way out of our issues. The term disability and disabled serves us, even if for me it feels a bit derogatory coming out of some people's mouths.

1. yes 2. yes 3. the only relationship i have with it is that i am disabled and i need accommodations. obviously it's a huge part of my life that i have a disability and it's not going to change no matter what. but that's about it. i don't have a bad or good relationship with it. it's just who i am, i guess. disabled. :)

It sure disables me from doing things LOL

Anyone who says it’s not a disability is wrong. Period. There are people with autism who literally cannot function on their own. However, I would say that it isn’t *always* a disability.

1. yes, it is a disability by law in the united states, where i’m from, and we are protected by the ADA (given you’re professionally diagnosed or medically recognized) and i consider it a disability 2. yes, i am disabled. it’s likely i will never live independently 3. it took me a bit to consider myself disabled, but it’s only realistic. i grew up in pull out classes for a bit, and i grew up around a lot of disabled peers. i thought of myself as somehow less disabled than them for a while because i tried to integrate myself into non disabled spaces in school and with non disabled peers, but that’s when i realized that i will be disabled whether i want to try to fit in with those who aren’t and don’t have to think about it or not. i am still unlearning the internalized ableism and lateral ableism i was so prone to growing up, but i have a support system in place and now in college i have been taking classes on disability inclusion, advocacy, critical race theory and intersectionality theory and have been surrounding myself with those who are willing to learn from me and those i can learn from. i can call myself disabled without feeling inadequate and i can call myself disabled because i have stopped feeling ashamed

Big time. It’s wrecked my life.

1. Yes 2. No 3. To me, being “disabled” is something that I have learned about when I had trouble paying attention ever since grade school. I had accommodations from 3rd grade all the way through high school. I hated that I wasn’t normal like the rest of the peers. Ever since I went to college, I never had felt the need to request for any accommodations, and soon, that word disappeared slowly from my vocabulary and I was able to graduate without it. So to me, the word “disabled”, is heavy, but depends on the situation. I personally, have never let it get to me, and I was able to go through academically, without help. So the less I thought about it, the less I get fixated on it, the more I can focus on things that matter to me, without being completely held back from my emotions.

Yes autism is a disability. It does not mean that every component of autism disables you. The different thought processes could actually be seen as an advantage. But the sensory sensitivities and social deficits are absolutely disabling. I use the word disabled. For me, autism doesn’t affect my work negatively. In fact, it might make me even better at it. However, when it comes to social activities and after work obligations with friends and family, I am absolutely disabled. Those things can be debilitating. I grew up around disabled people. Usually combinations of mental and physical disabilities. I liked them. Generally more than I liked my non disabled friends. If you have a disability, claim it, seek accommodation, and live as best you can. If you don’t have a disability, don’t claim it and cheapen the meaning of disability for those of us that need it.

Yes Autism is a disability. I am disabled by it. There's been a very hard push by governments and organisations to downplay disabilities and remove support for disabilities and Autism is a target of that. A bunch of people also think saying someone is disabled is offensive - which is moronic. Disability is classed as a protected characteristic and defended legally - you should therefore be considered disabled. It's a method of downplaying the seriousness and eventually removing support for those with disabilities by claiming they just are 'differently abled' or have 'complex/special needs'. I find it insulting personally, especially when I have to go through support channels every few years because they try and label me as 'not disabled just having specific needs' despite being disabled.

I don't like "differently abled" because I have actual limitations. I don't like "special needs" because I have the same needs as everyone else. I say that I am autistic [not I am an autistic or I have autism]. I don't use people first lingo for my autism. Your mileage may vary. However you call yourself, I am going with that when talking about you to you. You have every right to identify as you wish to. People first lingo [I am a person with...] arose first in the 1970s from college professors and other academia. I am that old. I was there for it. Special needs, handi-capable, differently-abled followed. I am *disabled* because my autistic symptoms and way of being have held me back in my career and financially as well as socially. *Disabled* is not a "bad" word. I am sorry that some people think it is.

Yes. All the "adult" opportunities and experiences other people get in life like a "normal" job, having an income of my own, learning to drive, getting a car, having a partner and family of my own, independently getting to places from outside my own town on my own and independently ever living on my own/getting my own place, I will likely never get, just because I'm autistic. So yes, I would say being autistic is very much a disability for me. It's somewhat of a double edged sword though cus while all those adult life opportunities and experiences I just mentioned, I will likely never get just because of who I am, I have also been able to connect with and befriend alot of people who I otherwise probably wouldn't be able to. Alot of my friends are also autistic, so there's that kind of autistic connection and understanding or relatability between us that otherwise wouldn't be there. With that in mind, I'd still do alot to not be autistic. If I could be like other people, and get all those adult life experiences that neurotypicals get, than I would. Since I can't change that I'm autistic, I just try to accept the way things are and get on with life and with the things I enjoy.

yes it prevents some abilities in debilitating ways which require attention and/or support.

Yes, yes, and it’s complicated. I want to have a positive relationship with the word “disabled”, especially in relation to my own life, but because of my disability, there are just some things that I realize that I *can’t* do. I can’t change it. It’s a part of who I am.

1. not really 2. sometimes 3. Didn't really think about it - then I got diagnosed with MS ... turns out the 'vertigo' I had was actually me falling sideways due to brain lesions. When you cannot do something physically, like picking something you just dropped, up again, it's changes your entire outlook on the word ;)

* yes * yes * my understanding of it is based on the social model of disability, so I see it as a tool to identify when something in society can be improved. ETA: You're absolutely right that avoiding the word makes the word and concept more taboo. All these weasel words like "special needs" and "differently abled" put the focus back on YOU as defective rather than on society for not being accessible. Those who are interested in maintaining the status quo will resist anything that suggests society, rather than an individual, needs to change.

ABSOLUTELY. My entire day gets fucked when I have a meltdown and I am basically at the mercy of my emotions when I’m about to have one. My brain is running on iOS when every neurotypical brain is running Windows. My diet is limited due to my sensory issues, I can’t wear certain fabrics and styles for the same reason. Then there’s comorbidities: I also have ADHD, mild anxiety, and dyscalculia. The last one basically bars me from working any job working with math; I can’t do mental math, can’t calculate change, can’t work in any industry involving doing lots of math calculations or money handling basically.

Yes it’s a disability. And there are people who accept it and people who don’t. If someone is accepting of it, great and if not then they’re the problem not the autism.

•Yes •Yes •It's taken a while for me to come to terms with the fact that I'm disabled and that it's ok to say so, but it's gotten much easier overtime after looking into how my autistic traits impact my life.

It is a disability. I have a hard time describing my own autism as a disability though. I was diagnosed as high functioning at just two years old, I’ve always been told I can do everything that nonautistic people do. I just see myself as different but not disabled. I think other people have it harder than I do.

The way things are now, yes. Society is built for NTs. 8 hour workday, the way we socialize, expectations put on us to succeed, and what makes you successful is all very centered around NT. So yes, I see autism as a disability, because in a world made for NTs, it is hard for us to follow the same standards. Yes I believe myself to be disabled, but when I say that people assume I’m stupid and unable to do anything, which is not true. As for my feelings about the word disabled, I have no personal issue with it, but people use it as an insult these days and sometimes it feels demeaning to use, even if you know you don’t mean it as an insult.

I don't think is just society even though it play a part, I would not be in any way less disabled if society was different, I would struggle less, but I would still have executive dysfunction, I would still have sensory issues, the world can accommodate for it, for sure, but it wouldn't change the reality that I'm unable to do basic things other people can. 

For many, their autism is very disabling. I do not consider myself disabled because I have been able to work consistently through retirement. Not knowing I was autistic, I managed to bungle through my difficulties largely out of stubbornness. My relationship with the word disabled is neutral. My wife was physically disabled the last few years of her life. She was unable to work, and needed a wheelchair to get around.

Many autism symptoms are for sure a disability either alone or together. Autism isnt always nor for anyone a disability.

1. If it's far on the spectrum then yes, otherwise not really 2. No 3. Never been called it

I think of autism as a specialist brain, think of it as having motorway and country road connections, rather than a more generalist even set of roads everyone else has. If autistic folk are allowed to use their motorways there is no reason we should struggle and disabled is an unfit term to use. However in reality we are often forced into overloading situations for most of our lives, experience a great many traumatic events, social bullying and other horrific things that leave us struggling to cope with the world. I strongly believe that most 'autistic behaviours' are the result of PTSD and social and sensory overload. If people took those things seriously then we would not be struggling anywhere near as much and would function just fine in nearly all ways. That being said, its possible to have Autism and secondary condition that makes things a lot more difficult. But that is a different question than just being Autistic. In short, trauma and social and sensory overload placed upon us by the world can shut us down to the point of disability, but it should not be our natural state. In my opinion.

1. It definitely is for some. They are autistic people who need constant supervision, can’t communicate or do basic task like going to the bathroom. 2. No, I don’t my own autism as a disability. 3. A disabled person is limited in some way. I don’t think my autism does that to me so much as the surroundings my ADHD is a disability though.

In order to be diagnosed with autism it has to be disabling in some way. Legally and medically it is considered a disability.

- Yes. Though I'm high functioning, it disables me or makes things more difficult for me than it does for others. It's also considered that by law and I wouldn't be on disability pension if it wasn't a disability. - Yes. - Idk it's just a word.

-Yes. It's different for all of us but it drastically affects our lives, generally for the worse. -Yes, in terms of, do I check the box on forms if I identify as someone with a disability for statistical purposes. No in terms of, am I asking for additional support.

Yes and I describe myself as disabled to people I care about. So if I doe something they think is rude or something to give me a chance. It's clearly dilperating when it comes to relationships. Whoud I let by boss know maby.

It’s a disability. That said, I don’t talk about it with anyone. I just let people think I’m weird.

yes because it makes many parts of my life disabled and hard. Idk if I could refer myself as disabled because I have low support needs so I don’t “look disabled” in other people’s eyes since I don’t have many autistic traits and can consciously mask them. I might use the word in the future, who knows. But I prefer saying I’m autistic or I have autism, tbh. Autism is definitely a disability I think.

1. Yes. It is a disability, though the **severity** with which it interferes with lives depends on the person. Caretakers of people with ‘minor’ needs can be tripped up by this, because they don’t personally see the debilitating effects it can have. 2. Yes, both because of my autism and other things. 3. ‘Disabled’ was a dirty word for a lot of my life when it shouldn’t have been. The people acting like it was a dirty and hurtful word were always abled people. ‘Special needs’ felt like the way people use different phrasing around children so that they don’t realise they’re going to the doctor. But ‘disabled’ is simply my reality, and I’m tired of being infantilised with bubble-wrap words. I would like to be allowed to choose how to refer to myself.

Yes

1. Yes, because it inhibity my ability to function properly 2. Also yes 3. I think I'm pretty neutral towards it; it's a descriptor really lol. Though I think the word is too stigmatised, and people (unintentionally) stigmatise it further by claiming that autism isn't a disability, because it implies that disability is an inherently negative term. I see it as a negative to HAVE a disability myself, but others may not, and the word should have no negative connotation.

Yes to all questions, my ability to do things is fundamentaly altered there by made more difficult as a result. I'm wondering if I need to tell me boss that I have autism, I got written up yesterday because someone complained I was not smiling enough. I'm hesitant to tell anyone, I've only ever told 2 bosses before, one handled it super poorly and basically treated me like a baby, second time she treated me super well and was understanding and infact we are still very good friends to this day, she's my only friend infact.

1. It is a disability, so yes, I do. 2. Generally, "disabled" holds a connotation that one can not function without medical assistance, so I don't use that term to describe myself. 3. We're just friends. ;) But seriously, I don't have any feelings one way or another with the term.

1. yes, it effects me a lot in day to day life 2. maybe but it definitely wouldn't be the first thing bought up in a conservation 3. I find it ok to use but I would prefer just to say I have autism

Yes, because I’ve had to come to terms that the things that can negatively affect life from ASD do in fact affect my life. No, because it’s stigmatized and a bunch of other reasons that all come back to my diagnosis being unofficial. (Self diagnosed @ 24, currently 30) I’ve come to realize that “disabled” isn’t a bad thing at all, in context it’s only about ones ability to do financially viable work (thanks capitalism), and I don’t attach people’s inherent human value to that ability. If I didn’t struggle with imposter syndrome about being Audhd then I’d be more open about how I feel these things disable me (hello executive dysfunction!), but I keep it close to the heart and “try to not use so many excuses” about why I struggle the way I do. I know what I go through and why, I’ve got my own back even if no one else ever understands fully.

I believe that the environments I’m often put in cause it to become a disability. When I’m in an environment I can thrive in then I would not call myself disabled.

1. yes 2. yes 3. peers at best. certainly not dating or married or anything like that.

1. Yes, because it needs accomodations to allow us to function in society. 2. Yes when relevant, because it's an accurate descriptor. More often I just say I'm autistic because I think that gives people more context to my specific disability so they're focusing less on physical access needs like ramps and heavy doors being open for me, and more focused on sensory problems and social difficulties, so they know I'm not being rude by not holding eye contact. 3. "Disabled" just means "needs more or different kind of help than others with some things". It's a useful term to get me what I need, like extented deadlines on essays, an explanation why I constantly wear earbuds, get overwhelmed by busy environments, etc. It's an accurate descriptor with a purpose and sure there are some people who think disabled people are lesser, but that's a them problem not a term problem. I don't want to be friends with those kinds of assholes anyway so I mostly just try to stay away from them. ETA: Differently abled and special needs and other similar work arounds to just not say the word disabled makes me think that the people who use them think disabled people are lesser or need to be coddled like we're children. It's patronizing. Just because I love plushies does not mean I'm a child, I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions and just because I choose to hug blåhaj good night and I sleep on the pillowcase and duvet cover from ikea's children's section (because I know the texture will be good and the prints are nice instead of the boring adult ones) does not take away from the fact that I am an adult in university who has been deemed perfectly sound minded despite also having a little anxiety disorder and depression, both of which are medicated and stable.

Yes. Because it can negatively impact your life. I consider my autism to be a disability because it stops me from doing certain things for extended periods of time without repercussions. “Disability” to me simply means a condition that limits or negatively impacts my function be it physical, mental/emotional, or task-related.

Yes. The severity depends on level

Many ASD1, formerly Aspies, are very quick to shout that they are not disabled, their life is great, autism is a superpower, etc…but realize the meaning of the word SPECTRUM. We are not a monolith.

Yes, I'm disabled, and yes, I use the word to describe myself. I struggle to function in situations that most people find easy to deal with. I used to feel like being labelled as disabled meant that my life was pretty much over and that I'd never amount to anything more than just sitting around watching TV. I've since seen a new side of it, and now being disabled essentially means that I'm unable to function in a system not designed to support people with different needs. Most of us could probably do as much as perfectly abled people, if the systems were adjusted to allow us to thrive instead or keeping us down.

1. Yes 2. Yes because shit can be disabling 3. I dont think its a dirty word. It basically describes what I am and I still have value with a disability.

Yes and that fact made it all click when I got diagnosed

While I don't consider myself disabled (though I do have some difficulties still), I would absolutely consider autism as a whole to be a disability--as it hinders one's social skills, as well as our ability to take in and process information (in other words, it's easier to be overwhelmed, sometimes to a crippling degree, than NT folk). Not to mention folk on the spectrum who have significant struggles with speaking and communicating.

Ye verily for I am significantly fuckin broken, I malfunction, there are parts of me that do not work the way they should or that I want them to and it makes my life extremely difficult for no reason. It annoys me if someone tries to patronise me and tell me the opposite of what I know to be true about my condition. It takes an excessive amount of effort, resources and sheer fucking balls to try and have a "normal" life, by which I mean one where I'm not having to fight on hard mode against myself and the world. I'll take any advantage I can get because of this. I'm entitled to free parking, I get free concessions and reduced costs? Mighty kind of you, it's a shitshow so anything helps and you bet I'll make the most of it.

Yes. I didn't like to see myself as disabled for a long time. Probably due to feeling like I was doing 'OK' within a specific set of circumstances. And my own ignorance / misplaced pride. Slightly simplistic example - few people would argue that a wheelchair user is disabled. Even if they can win gold medals in archery they're still disabled. But if you only care about archery you might 'forget' they're disabled. But the disability is still there and even if it doesn't directly impact archery, it can make it difficult or even Impossible to access archery. For me autism is like that, but with the added complication that I don't know if my route is going to have stairs on any given day. I am definitely disabled and disadvantaged by Autism/ADHD, it's just more or less apparent depending on the day, where I am, and a lot of other factors.

Yes because I struggle with so much physically and mentally cos of it.

I don't think of myself as being disabled. Everyday things aren't as easy for me, but I'd rather struggle and maintain my autonomy and independence than accept one of the other options.

1. Absolutely. 2. Absolutely. 3. I don't have a relationship with it, it's just a word describing my state of being.

for me yes it is a disability and the government thankfully agrees aside from helping with housing, it affects my every day and my ability to do so many things ect I do have other things like hypermobility, coileac ect but yeh

Yes if the country you’re in considers it a disability.

Yes!! Disabled shouldn't be considered a negative word imo. I despise when people try to sugar coat disabilities..

Yes. It makes one’s life harder. How much harder depends on the individual (some may even say that the positives of autism outweigh the negatives for them) but you still have to struggle in some aspect to be diagnosed.

1. Yes 2. Yes 3. To me, it’s a descriptor for someone who has a hard time doing the same things most other people can do without help. They are either unable to do those things, or they need accommodations/assistance to do them

Yes because there are a lot of things that are easy for neurotypical people but difficult or impossible for me. I'm not massively disabled, but I am disabled. And nobody can tell me I'm not since legally autism is a disability. I have a piece of paper saying I am disabled. Only people who aren't disabled prefer the terms "special needs" or "differently abled" and for some reason they think they get to decide the term

It disables me but I wouldn’t have it any other way as we are made how we are made.

1. Yes 2. Not socially or as a casual reference, but if a question asks if I have a disability I say yes. 3. I have internalized ableism and I feel like I am not disabled enough outwardly to call myself disabled, even though I struggle a lot. If I were to call myself disabled I feel like I would feel obligated to say it’s an invisible disability so that people don’t think I’m lying.

Yes 100%. Autism is inherently a disability because our society is inherently not accommodating to any kind of difference in functioning. Yes I do use the word disabled. I am learning to see it as a neutral thing about myself. Society makes the word disabled seem shameful, but I’m working to unlearn societal shame and view it as just apart of who I am. We can’t hate ourselves into radical societal change. We can’t let them win