#LiftingTheLabel

At CARD, our campaign for the 2017 Autism Awareness Month is #LiftingTheLabel. We want to show that there is so much more to these great people than their diagnosis. “Label: n. A classifying phrase or name applied to a person, especially one that is inaccurate or restrictive.” Others see an adult or child diagnosed with ASD, and their minds typically go to one of two places; either the classic “anti-social, genius savant” as portrayed in films and TV shows such as Rain Man, Mercury Rising or The Big Bang Theory, or something far less flattering. When terms like “autist” have become insults in certain corners of the internet, now more than ever we need to strive towards removing the individual from the label.

CARD and The Learning Academy have documented many noteworthy cases throughout the years, highlighting the great contributions to society made by people on the autism spectrum. TLA has a page on their website, where several former students, myself included, have written about the success they’ve encountered since attending the class, and it serves as another testament to the fact that we can be just as successful as everyone else if we put our minds to it. Some of us may have to put in a little more effort than usual, but that only makes the eventual payoff all the more sweet.

Many with autism do have certain issues with social interaction, few will deny that. However, that does not mean that we don’t want to, or are incapable of doing so. I have several great friends who mean so much to me, and they never even mention the fact that I have autism because it’s irrelevant to our friendship. For those of us who struggle with being social, we’re not doing so because we want to be alone; quite the opposite in fact. Because it’s difficult for us to reach out, we yearn for companionship perhaps more than most. If you see someone with ASD in the cafeteria, or at the workplace, who’s sitting all alone, try approaching them, and you’ll discover that they can be some of the best, most loyal friends you can have.

#LiftingTheLabel is about reaching inclusiveness in a world that wants to put a label on any and everything. Lumping entire groups of people into a single category, a single stereotype, only ever leads to ignorance and segregation. Our poster for #LiftingTheLabel proudly states, “I am a daughter, sister, athlete, student and friend,” all of which are so much more important than the autism diagnosis. This year for Autism Awareness Month, let’s make sure to start seeing everyone, autism or not, as an individual, rather than a label.

• G. Sosso

The Importance of Person-First Language

You may have heard the term “person-first language” before (that’s person-first, not to be confused with first-person, a point of view); simply put, it’s a manner of speech which aims to avoid any kind of dehumanization or marginalization amongst those with disabilities. Now, there is some controversy surrounding the usage and importance of person-first language, but we here at CARD believe its use to is of the utmost importance. I’ll go more into it in this, but if you would like to read more about what person-first language is, here’s a link to a page explaining it in great detail: https://www.thearc.org/who-we-are/media-center/people-first-language.

 
First of all, what is person-first language in the context of speech and writing? Let me give you an example: instead of saying “that autistic boy,” we prefer “that boy with autism.” Autistic is an adjective; i.e. a word that describes or defines something/someone. In our opinion, a person should not be defined by their disability, be it autism or some other condition. Autism may be a part of who they are, but it is not the main aspect of their identity. When describing others, most people will say, “that girl with the long hair,” not “that long-haired girl.” The long hair is just a part of who she is, not what defines her. While not an offensive or even particularly distasteful example, the same concept applies here. If we utilize person-first language for such mundane things as hair color, then why not do the same for autism?

 
There is one other thing I would like to add, and it’s the main reason why I personally advocate the usage of person-first language, especially in regards to autism. There is a particularly nasty trend going that’s been going around, mostly on the internet, which uses “autistic” as an insult for behavior and/or actions deemed undesirable. To use a personal example, I have played many games online where I witnessed someone make a simple in-game mistake, to which many will viciously attack that person, calling them autistic just because they didn’t fit their definition of perfect. It’s even happened to me, and it’s very upsetting. For a long time, “retarded” has unfortunately been a rather prevalent insult, but now the vocabulary is expanding to include autism specifically, and it saddens me. The thought that calling someone “autistic” carries such a negative connotation is a disheartening thought, but it’s just another reason why I believe person-first language is the way to go. Being on the spectrum is nothing to be ashamed of, and you should be proud of who you are!

• G. Sosso