Language...

I am a person with an autism spectrum disorder...

The important part of that is that i am a PERSON. I work very hard to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, including myself. In the last 9 months i have had the priveledge to speak with my state senator and his staff as well as my representatives staff. I have been able to share my story and hopes for equality with congressmens offices and county commissioners. I have done work towards promoting the education of first responders regarding best practice methods for working with individuals with autism. I have been lucky enough to hear dozens of the countries leading experts on disability rights.

and i have yet to meet one individual that does not prefer person first language when describing themselves or their child.

what alarms me in all this is that i have recently encountered another blog. Autism Diva that has no respect for this concept. I do acknowledge that people first language is a choice. but when i commented on her blog about her use of reffering to the community as a whole as "autistic people" I was called overly sensitive. as well as presumptious, for presuming that disabled people care. Well i am a disabled person and i care.

on a group i am a member of the main title is "for people suffering from aspergers syndrome"... again here we are with the language. I am not suffering. There are days that are harder than others, and there are days that i drive my partner nuts simply being me. But this is all part of who i am.

Some refer to people first language as cumbersome and unneccasary, but i differ. If we want to be seen as people same as others we need to adjust how we allow ourselves to be labeled.

Language is a tricky thing. We speak freely and often but how much of the time do we think about what we are saying and how it sets a precident for how people view us or our situation.

today i challenge you to think before you speak... how does what you say set a precident?