"Aspie"

[ancusmitis]

Okay, what is this obsession with racial and sexual slurs? Now that you know "aspie" came out of our community, you should be able to tell that it's not the same thing.

 

[Cosmophylla]

I agree with ancusmitis... The term "Aspie" was coined by one of us so why compare it to racial or gender insults cast by others for the purpose of vilification?

Also, Myrtonos, just to clarify, when I referred to my husband's teaching job I referred to not only his influence as a figure of authority over young minds but also to his being forced to use particular language by the school in order to maintain the school's image. It's an independent Catholic school and he is obliged to speak in certain ways in accordance with the school's business policies. For many independent schools in Australia it's more and more about public relations than kids' educations these days, sadly.

Moreover, as we don't know the particulars of Beverly's income, I think we shouldn't be too hasty to assume that a 10% drop in sales wouldn't impact her severely. No matter what she nets for herself she also employs a lot of other people. Those people would be affected by a downfall in her career. Working "independently", as opposed to being employed in a 9 to 5 job, doesn't make you immune to public relations issues. She may not have a boss telling her what to say, no, she instead pays "experts" (for want of a better term) to advise her on particular things. She wants to play music to the public. To continue to do that she must present herself in a way that the public accepts. She doesn't necessarily like that but if it means she gets to do what she loves, then she will present herself that way.

Finally, re: Japanese, yes, it's normal to not use the personal pronoun, effetely diminishing oneself. The nail that sticks up will be hammered down, as they say But that doesn't mean the nail likes being kept in line... It just does what it expected of it for the sake of communal harmony.

 

[Myrtonos]

Okay, what is this obsession with racial and sexual slurs? Now that you know "aspie" came out of our community, you should be able to tell that it's not the same thing.

It's not a obsession with slurs. It's about various short and neat terms referring to things like race and sexuality. Unfortunately, many happen to be slurs.

The term "Aspie" was coined by one of us so why compare it to racial or gender insults cast by others for the purpose of vilification?

Because it is short and neat, as are many but not all more derogatory terms, also there are groups who consider "aspie" offensive, just as those other short and neat terms are.
And the actual comparison is between those with asperger's syndrome say "aspie" and other short and neat terms used to define themselves. Just because those other terms might have originally been "insults cast by others for the purpose of vilification" doesn't mean that people don't get to describe their own race, hair and skin colour combination, or sexuality using those terms.

Also, Myrtonos, just to clarify, when I referred to my husband's teaching job I referred to not only his influence as a figure of authority over young minds but also to his being forced to use particular language by the school in order to maintain the school's image. It's an independent Catholic school and he is obliged to speak in certain ways in accordance with the school's business policies. For many independent schools in Australia it's more and more about public relations than kids' educations these days, sadly.

And I'm sure a higher portion of us are educated at christian schools than most other English speaking countries, especially freedom conscious USA.

Moreover, as we don't know the particulars of Beverly's income, I think we shouldn't be too hasty to assume that a 10% drop in sales wouldn't impact her severely. No matter what she nets for herself she also employs a lot of other people. Those people would be affected by a downfall in her career. Working "independently", as opposed to being employed in a 9 to 5 job, doesn't make you immune to public relations issues. She may not have a boss telling her what to say, no, she instead pays "experts" (for want of a better term) to advise her on particular things. She wants to play music to the public. To continue to do that she must present herself in a way that the public accepts. She doesn't necessarily like that but if it means she gets to do what she loves, then she will present herself that way.

But I wasn't assuming that, I was talking more generally. Remember that Maja Toudal has performed in public, and even released a studio album, but she still says "aspie", and as far as I know, it hasn't affected her reputation as a musician.

 

[ancusmitis]

It's not a obsession with slurs. It's about various short and neat terms referring to things like race and sexuality. Unfortunately, many happen to be slurs.

They don't "happen" to be insults. The insult is the point. Short and neat never had anything to do with it. It's just that English prefers a small number of syllables to a large one.

Why can't we talk about gay, bi, or pan? Those are completely monosyllabic terms that people use to self-identify.

 

[Beverly]

Aspie is one of those terms that may not be derogatory if you know the person you are speaking to refers to themselves and an Aspie but, it's more likely to be derogatory to strangers whom you re unsure about. Along the same lines and me referring to myself as breed or half breed because I am half Native American. It isn't derogatory if I use it referring to myself or another half breed I know personally but, it is derogatory to a lot of people.

Same thing here in the souther USA, I hear a lot of people of color calling each other the N word and, it isn't derogatory to them but, it would be if I called any of my black friends the N word.

Aspie, among some, is fast becoming the new "retarded" so, yeah, it's derogatory to the masses though not to most of us when it's from one Aspie to another or, between and Aspie and our friends who know us well.

Because of that, and because I did not establish myself as using that term in a non derogatory way before it began to become derogatory, I can't use it professionally without doing some damage in the eyes of some and, that's enough reason not to use it publicly.

 

[Ste11aeres]

Working "independently", as opposed to being employed in a 9 to 5 job, doesn't make you immune to public relations issues.

Yep. Heck, it makes public relations issues more important.

In a 9 to 5 job, you only need a few people to be supportive of you. It's easier to find a few people to be supportive-especially when they know you up close and well, then to expect thousands of strangers to be supportive. And when you're working "independently" the latter is what you need.

 

[Ste11aeres]

Yes "Homo" and a number of other short, neat little terms are often used as insults. That's why it's easy to think that "aspie" is offensive, by analogy with those terms..

And....analogies are not the best way to draw conclusions.

 

[Myrtonos]

And...if it's true that those other short and neat little terms (here in Australia, we have "abo" short for aboriginie) are more offensive than "aspie" then indeed analogies with those terms are not the best way to determine if "aspie" is offensive.

 

[Tom]

I can't remember the first time I heard Aspie used, but think it was by Aspies. But it sort of naturally stuck with me. I use it in a expanded/inclusive way to mean all HFA. That it is no longer officially recognized in the USA hasn't affected my use of it.

 

[Myway]

I have only heard Aspies use the term "Aspie" and even then, not too many use it that often. My NT family strongly dislikes the term, but then they are NT and see things differently. For an Aspie it is probably good to use the term. It gives you something to identity with - The Asperger Community.

 

[Myrtonos]

Actually, that would be the aspie community, especially here, this is Aspies' central.

 

[Myway]

Same thing. I am not here to be attacked by other Aspies. I firmly believe that they are the same thing and should not be corrected. If everything has to be politically correct, I am sorry for that. I didn't mean to offend anyone. I am an Aspie as well, so I understand what you are saying. But we should not be so negative and correct every little thing someone says.

 

[Beverly]

I agree Mywaysigning but unfortunately society does not agree in general. Talk to people one on one and they all seem to agree that there is too much worry over being politically correct yet, the majority are concerned with just that, too much so.

No more Rebel flags in the South USA because it might offend someone, no mailman because not all mail carriers are men, no waitress because not all restaurant serving staff are female, no Aspie, schizoid, psyco, crazy, cripple, etc... because a person is not their illness or disability and, calling them their illness or disability.

Yes it's gotten insane as to what is offensive, but apparently that's what society wants, mushy puppy love polite bull crap instead of plain, simple language. Maybe they think if they make things sound better, tamer, milder, they actually will be better, tamer and milder? Makes no sense to me but, it is what is and, I've got to live with it until society changes its collective mind.

 

[Cosmophylla]

...apparently that's what society wants, mushy puppy love polite bull crap instead of plain, simple language. Maybe they think if they make things sound better, tamer, milder, they actually will be better, tamer and milder? Makes no sense to me but, it is what is and, I've got to live with it until society changes its collective mind.

You make an interesting point. I think the goal is to make things better. Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty naive, so I can't say what goes with any real authority... but I feel that the goal is to be inclusive, to improve the lives of those in "minority" groups (I use "minority" as a very broad umbrella term), and ultimately to change the minds of the public at large. Altering language to alter minds doesn't have to lead to an Orwellian dystopia. As an example, I altered the language I used to refer to pregnancy and childbearing during my second pregnancy to control my intense anxiety/fear and it worked better than I could have hoped...I was calm, and accepting.

...ugh I want to continue this post but my daughter (as referred to above...) is crying for me! Will continue later.

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

You make an interesting point. I think the goal is to make things better. Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty naive, so I can't say what goes with any real authority... but I feel that the goal is to be inclusive, to improve the lives of those in "minority" groups (I use "minority" as a very broad umbrella term), and ultimately to change the minds of the public at large. Altering language to alter minds doesn't have to lead to an Orwellian dystopia. As an example, I altered the language I used to refer to pregnancy and childbearing during my second pregnancy to control my intense anxiety/fear and it worked better than I could have hoped...I was calm, and accepting.

...ugh I want to continue this post but my daughter (as referred to above...) is crying for me! Will continue later.

That's very interesting, could you please give some examples of how you changed your language?

 

[Cosmophylla]

That's very interesting, could you please give some examples of how you changed your language?

Sure. I cant remember all the particulars as it was few years ago and it has all been superceded by other things i now need to keep in my conscious mind (medicine dosages, family rules, pet feeding times, school times, appointments, shopping lists, you know the stuff ). Contractions became waves. There are opening waves and pushing waves (two types of contractions with different purposes in the birth process). Also, I used affirmations to tell myself that my body and baby knew what to do, amongst other things. I stopped using words like fear, afraid, pain, scared, worried, anxious, tired... and instead used words like normal, natural, instinct, safe, gentle, comfortable, love, positive, excited, happy, can't wait to meet my baby girl, etc.

(Incidentally, I ended up having an emergency caesarean several weeks early but still the positive affirmations had done their job and i didnt panic in the operating theatre...if I hadn't conditioned myself I would've been beside myself with fear...a caesarean had been top of my lifelong fear list)

 

[Bird]

I like "Aspie".

 

[Sully]

The doctor told me that it's not aspergers syndrome anymore. Instead, we're all on the spectrum.

Still prefer 'aspie' though.

Red is on a spectrum too, but we still use it so people know we're not talking about blue.

 

[Myrtonos]

I like "Aspie".

So you should if you post here, it's part of the site name. By giving the site a name containing aspie rather than asperger, founder of the site seems to be saying 'We're the aspies.' But we don't just aspie around. We are all other things. Some of us may be gay, bi or asexual, some of us may be anxious or derpession prone, some of us may have suicidal thoughts, some of us may be conservatives, at least one of us is a Naturalist.

Red is on a spectrum too, but we still use it so people know we're not talking about blue.

Different spectrum, not diagnostic.

 

[Cinnamon115]

I'm taking a class in special education inclusion here at college. On the first day of class, my teacher said that we must refer to people on the spectrum as "person with autism" or "person with aspergers". I explained to her that not everyone on the spectrum likes that. She told me that, while she understood, we still have to use "person with autism" because it's required by federal law/regulations (can't remember which). This only applies to educators, I think. It still bothers me that I won't be allowed to call myself Aspie when I'm teaching. But at least I will be able to call myself an Aspie here.