I'm all for less labels and as much self-awareness as it takes to confidently be comfortable in our own shoes, and I think this logic takes us (society) in that positive direction! Thanks
If a word/label is useful as a shortform for me to communicate something about myself to others, then I think the word is great.
If a word/label is abused by someone else to throw other people into a silo, especially one that has the subtext of "other", then it is harmful.
I try to keep my focus on what is attempting to be communicated and by who, rather than on the specific words themselves. The identical word can have an entirely different meaning depending on the context. I'm aware how that is hard for other Autistic people, but for me everything is relational rather than fixed/objective/etc.
Yeah, I sort of call that "reading the room" but thanks to how the internet works with clips, cutting, and reposting...it's a wild game (using terms)...for example, I've had two friends argue two different points about language with me, specific to autism. One says "I am autistic" and the other says, "I have autism" and each of them tell me it's rude to use one, but not the other...that's not even a catch-22...it's a wordless-situation for me...?
I'm all for less labels and as much self-awareness as it takes to confidently be comfortable in our own shoes, and I think this logic takes us (society) in that positive direction! Thanks
If a word/label is useful as a shortform for me to communicate something about myself to others, then I think the word is great.
If a word/label is abused by someone else to throw other people into a silo, especially one that has the subtext of "other", then it is harmful.
I try to keep my focus on what is attempting to be communicated and by who, rather than on the specific words themselves. The identical word can have an entirely different meaning depending on the context. I'm aware how that is hard for other Autistic people, but for me everything is relational rather than fixed/objective/etc.
Yeah, I sort of call that "reading the room" but thanks to how the internet works with clips, cutting, and reposting...it's a wild game (using terms)...for example, I've had two friends argue two different points about language with me, specific to autism. One says "I am autistic" and the other says, "I have autism" and each of them tell me it's rude to use one, but not the other...that's not even a catch-22...it's a wordless-situation for me...?
Anyone who believes there is only one right way for other people to be will find rudeness and offense everywhere.
AMEN