[ledger4479]

Hey, guys! Autistic Pride Day (June 18) is coming up, so I'd like to hear what autistic pride means to each of you.

To me, autistic pride means stimming happily, openly, and unapologetically. But, it's something that I struggle with because of all of the discouragement. I try each day though to allow myself to be freer.

[ToeJam]

Not sure tbh, still coming to terms with my dx. I can relate to discouragement though.

[eskielover]

One has to be careful with pride. To be able to be free to be ones self doesn't eliminate the need to still learn how to associate with others who aren't. As long as pride isn't used to build up dividing walls it's ok.

We all need to learn how to work together with our differences. Pride tends to work against that goal....just a thought.

Would rather call it Autism Awareness Day personally....those are my thoughts on all pride movements not just this.

[KidAutistic]

Being Autistic is a big part of my life and even though it is sometimes hard there are fun things too. Being different makes us stand out and that can be a good thing. So I am sometimes proud of it.

[TwinVergil]

Originally Posted by eskielover

As long as pride isn't used to build up dividing walls it's ok. .

Very well said.

I'm still in the progress of accepting it. The more I read about it, the more I understand it and feel related. Now I look at my life with a different perspective, I understand why I do the things I do, what I must do to calm myself, or what to say. lately I've learned so much about it.

But I guess my pride would be my talent. I'm very obsessive with words and letters. My natal language is Spanish, so although I enjoy English, writing and composing or structuring in Spanish is my passion, stories, tales or even a novel. And I believe, no, I'm sure of it, Autism is the reason I have this talent.

[-jimi-]

Originally Posted by eskielover

One has to be careful with pride. To be able to be free to be ones self doesn't eliminate the need to still learn how to associate with others who aren't.

Say what? Take for example gay pride, do you lecture gays this way?

[eskielover]

Originally Posted by -jimi-

Say what? Take for example gay pride, do you lecture gays this way?

You betcha I do. I Taught my daughter about the fine line between pride & arrogance also. This applies to any pride. There is a fine line between pride & arrogance & that line can easily be crossed to end up building a wall rather than opening a door. Acceptance & acknowledgement opens doors that PRIDE can easily close if approached in an arrogant way.

10 Differences Between Pride And Arrogance
Communicationby Bo Nardin

You know how good it feels when after many weeks or even months your customer approves a project you and your whole team worked so hard on? You feel so proud of the work you have done together. But all these great feelings can be quickly spoiled if there is only one guy in your team, who is full of arrogance telling your customer what a great job he did.

Pride and arrogance: there are two different emotional states which are divided only by a thin line. Here’s how to spot the difference between the two (and not to enter the field of arrogance):

10 Differences Between Pride And Arrogance

[-jimi-]

You realize autistic pride is needed just because many autistic people do not feel proud at all? It's not some show off day. It is a day for encouragement and for at least toying with the thought we have the same worth as you guys.

[eskielover]

It is a day for encouragement and for at least toying with the thought we have the same worth as you guys.

Then it doesn't cross the line.....& it is more a day of recognition of the strengths that you do have. Each person has their strengths & weaknesses no matter who or what we are & giving honor to the strengths is important to feel that value we all need to feel.

That fine line is just something that we ALL need to recognize when we are dealing with pride & make sure that we don't cross over into arrogance......that's something WE ALL need to be aware of no matter who we are.

[-jimi-]

I don't see any arrogance in this section, but I see a lot of self doubt and times when people have been abused and harassed for being spectrum people.

You on the other hand, are anti asperger because you have SELF DIAGNOSED an ex with aspergers so now you think that is what aspergers is. IT IS NOT!

Your ex seems to have had a strong narcissistic trait and narcissism is NOT a diagnostic criteria for aspergers.

As for being proud, I'm ashamed I was even born.

[eskielover]

You should NOT be ashamed you were ever born. You have strengths & abilities that others don't. My ex had his own strengths in his own areas also.

It's not easy for anyone to find their strengths & to put them into a place where they can made into a meaning part of life & be excelled at.....but they are there. It's much easier for EVERYONE to focus on their weaknesses.

For him any narcissistic trait was his cover up for his insecurity & the inabilities that he did have. That was obvious living with him for 33 years. I have found this to be a trait that many with insecurities cover them up with & can also come across LOOKING like pride & arrogance....not just people with Asperger's

You on the other hand, are anti asperger

Just because one has difficulties with something doesn't make them anti anything....that is truly black & white thinking. After living with someone for 33 years & finally finding a specialist in Asperger's who has written a book about it & when it finally explains 100% everything I experienced. I welcome the knowledge that helps me understand & not continue feeling the way I did about him when I left. That is hardly anti-asperger's. To deny the problems & their effect is not useful, to understand why & let that understanding have a positive effect is useful.

Much of the abuse & harassment comes from NOT having the KNOWLEDGE or the UNDERSTANDING or even knowing what the cause of the behaviors are. That's why I advocate for AWARENESS & drawing people into that knowledge & understanding so it CAN make a difference.

[-jimi-]

If a personality disorder, no matter WHY one has it, is so prominent that it really affects that person's life, it should be diagnosed separately from aspergers. Only if the aspergers itself explains the behavior better, it should be included in the aspergers diagnosis as standalone. Just reading from the manual here.

I'm glad some people can find autistic pride. Myself I was treated with the same disrespect you were treated by by your husband, by 90 % of the people I met. And I'm actually not alone I'm afraid. Did you know for example, most autistic people who get murdered are by someone known but who never gets any penalty? That is how useless we're supposed to be. Imagine knowing you can have anything happen to you, and no one ever pays. I was threatened and stalked but because I'm not completely normal, the police sided with the stalker and laughed in my face. They say we don't help people like YOU.

I know I have no rights. That I have to fend for myself. That everything going wrong will always be seen as my fault. That is what I wake up to every day.

Now I should worry my "pride" gets malignant???

[shinkansen]

I'm not proud to be on the autism spectrum. And I'm not proud to have ADHD.

But I am proud of myself to have got this far in life, before a doctor spotted the symptoms and diagnosed me. I've coped and managed well, so far.

[Nike007]

Hello. For me, I am not proud of having ASD, but just try to do what I can to the best of my abilities. For example, I love structure and order, so working at a job, I can say I will always hand stuff on time, never be late, and make sure everything is in order. I am also highly detail-oriented. This will help me a lot of the time. My intense interest is what I want a job in, so I will know a lot about what I do, and won't appear unintelligent. I now know my strengths and weaknesses and am working on my weaknesses and using my strengths to my advantage. This is how I see ASD.

Social anxiety disorder, ASD, GAD, OCD, and panic disorder

Lexapro, 10 mg; Ativan 0.5 mg PRN

[CobolCapsule]

I would rather try and fit in the neurotypical world, than separate myself by acknowledging autistic pride day. Pride is arrogance if you ask me.