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Post by SharksFan99 on Jul 18, 2018 15:48:38 GMT 10
There is a thread similar to this on another website I visited just a short time ago and I thought this might be an interesting topic of discussion, which is why I have decided to create a thread based on this topic. Despite advances in improving people's knowledge and perception of the spectrum, it's arguable that there is still a stigma surrounding Autism.
I personally don't have Autism, but I have a friend who has Aspergers. He attended the mainstream classes during High School and he was actually in my Multimedia class, which is how a mutual friend of ours introduced us to each other.
If you were to meet him my friend in person, you would never suspect that he has Aspergers or any form of Autism. His communication skills are great and he is even really good at maintaining eye contact during conversations. Yet, because he has the Aspergers "label" attached to who he is as a person, most of the people in my year group had no interest in becoming friends with him. He would start conversations with others in my Multimedia class, yet they would want nothing to do with him, which was a real shame.
I personally think the general public has such a limited knowledge of what Autism actually is. Autism isn't just a singular developmental disorder; it's a spectrum of a wide range of different conditions. Individuals whom have a form of Autism can be high-functioning and lead an independent and successful life, just like people who are not on the spectrum. It shouldn't define who they are as people and I wish more people would realise this.
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Post by aja675 on Jul 18, 2018 16:12:23 GMT 10
BTW, what did you think of my rants?
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Post by SharksFan99 on Jul 18, 2018 16:25:56 GMT 10
BTW, what did you think of my rants? I haven't read them yet.
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Post by aja675 on Jul 18, 2018 16:36:09 GMT 10
But they're on the same thread.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2018 3:25:21 GMT 10
Bloody well said, Shark! I was diagnosed fairly recently (2016) with Asperger's and it has answered many previously unanswered questions. I never felt that I fitted in with my peers and this diagnosis explains a lot.
I 'liked' your post but it is not showing up.
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Post by fanofdorks on Aug 29, 2018 4:44:28 GMT 10
I have a daughter with autism, my nephew also has it, my brother has it and although never tested my mum thinks I may have it too. Even as a teen when my friends were out partying etc Id rather stay home with a book or watch a movie.
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Post by Alexander Edoh on Aug 30, 2018 7:26:21 GMT 10
I myself have Autism, though you wouldn't know unless I told you because I have good communication skills.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2019 14:29:32 GMT 10
Apologies in advance for bumping a thread that was last posted in a year ago.
But among other things, I personally think any stigma surrounding autism isn't helped by the fact that there very few, if any good examples of people on the spectrum being represented in the mainstream media. Certainly this is the case in Australia, even though it's to my understanding that there are likely to be around 250,000 or so Australians (with autism affecting 1 in every 100, if I'm not mistaken) who are on the spectrum - a not insignificant minority of the population.
Even something like the Love Me As I Am documentary which aired on SBS about a month ago (and is still available to watch via SBS On-Demand until August 6 of next year, so plenty of time to watch it) featured a young woman with Aspergers who I'd probably say fits the mould of a general stereotype most neurotypical people seem to have about people on the spectrum.
Of course there seemed to be barely any conversation about it online but had the story of someone like Adelaide (yes, that's her first name - although she's a Sydneysider like the other subjects of the documentary) aired on a commercial network program like 60 Minutes or Sunday Night, I suspect there would be considerably more discussion about whether or not people on the autism spectrum are fairly represented in the media.
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Post by SharksFan99 on Sept 6, 2019 14:58:26 GMT 10
Apologies in advance for bumping a thread that was last posted in a year ago. But among other things, I personally think any stigma surrounding autism isn't helped by the fact that there very few, if any good examples of people on the spectrum being represented in the mainstream media. Certainly this is the case in Australia, even though it's to my understanding that there are likely to be around 250,000 or so Australians (with autism affecting 1 in every 100, if I'm not mistaken) who are on the spectrum - a not insignificant minority of the population. Even something like the Love Me As I Am documentary which aired on SBS about a month ago (and is still available to watch via SBS On-Demand until August 6 of next year, so plenty of time to watch it) featured a young woman with Aspergers who I'd probably say fits the mould of a general stereotype most neurotypical people seem to have about people on the spectrum. Of course there seemed to be barely any conversation about it online but had the story of someone like Adelaide (yes, that's her first name - although she's a Sydneysider like the other subjects of the documentary) aired on a commercial network program like 60 Minutes or Sunday Night, I suspect there would be considerably more discussion about whether or not people on the autism spectrum are fairly represented in the media. I agree. I would like to think that things are slowly changing. I've noticed recently that Tourette's Syndrome is starting to receive better recognition in the mainstream. For instance, a couple of contestants on "Australian Ninja Warrior" displayed symptoms associated with the condition and there was also that segment with a teenage girl who sufferred from severe Tourette's on "This Time Next Year". Hopefully it's only a matter of time before the attention starts to shift towards the Autism Spectrum, because like you said, there's very few good examples of people on the spectrum in the media. Also, I believe there's a good chance that 250,000 figure is underestimated. There would be thousands of people living in this country who would be on the spectrum, but have chosen not to be officially diagnosed out of fear that they will suffer from the stigma associated with it. It isn't entirely out of the question that there are also people in the media who are choosing to keep their diagnosis private.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2019 15:16:08 GMT 10
Also, I believe there's a good chance that 250,000 figure is underestimated. There would be thousands of people living in this country who would be on the spectrum, but have chosen not to be officially diagnosed out of fear that they will suffer from the stigma associated with it. It isn't entirely out of the question that there are also people in the media who are choosing to keep their diagnosis private. Yep, I agree. Without mentioning names, there are definitely some media enthusiasts who have autism so I would not be at all surprised if there are also people who actually work in the industry and are on the spectrum.
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