All About Autism Conference 2019: Autism, Girls & Oughtism

[@emme4478]

This speech is one of the best I've seen!

[@Authentistic-ism]

I wasn't diagnosed until age 40 as a woman. After that, I suddenly remembered that I was taken in as a child for assessment. I remember playing with toys and interacting with a strange counselor and taking some intelligence tests. I'm really not sure why I was assessed or what the results were because even though I asked and tried to sneak peeks at the paperwork, my mother put in a great deal of effort to withhold all information from me. I never got any answers and if I was diagnosed as a child it was not told to me. If I was misdiagnosed that's also tragic. Either way, I spent my entire adult life trying to be what my mother wanted which was not autistic whether we realized I am or not. She wanted me to be ladylike sociable, skilled at hair and makeup and fashion she had ideas for me to join the Junior League and Bridge Club and that kind of thing

[@purplefleece]

Really thought-provoking presentation and very clear. Thank you.

[@lindabooth9844]

Excellent! Thank you so much. I have just been diagnosed with autism at age 60. I knew all along though, but to afraid to say. I am a woman by the way. I guess I really got missed. Struggled my whole life in silence.

[@welcome12ization]

I enjoyed watching this, a good talk, I hope this gets the awareness out there. I have ''female'' type autism (although as you say, this is problematic), and was not diagnosed until age 21 despite being assessed by psychology at primary school with all the classic signs of Asperger's.

[@quirkyturk3y396]

Thank you for this video. I really liked the way in which you talked about this.

[@Catlily5]

To me Autism is both a disability and a super power. As long as I have a hard time fitting in or functioning I will see Autism partly as a disability because this is the world I live in. As of now we don't live in some idealistic society that is set up to accommodate us so we do struggle. To see Autism as all positive feels invalidating to me. Maybe some people only see the positive in Autism and that is good for them but not for me.

[@carolinevivion9173]

Hello, and what would that be, the positive stuff? Not every autistic person has a very high iq (Asperger) that make them special, or gifted. Those who find themselves in the average??

[@Catlily5]

@@carolinevivion9173 It seems like many people who have average intelligence and autism see both positives and negatives to having autism. However, it is an individual thing that can change with time. However you feel about having autism is valid.

[@Catlily5]

@@carolinevivion9173 Some positives: Autistic people are often truthful Autistic people usually say what they mean Autistic people often enjoy their special interests and are knowledgeable about them Autistic people see the world in a unique way Being autistic is a part of who we are. It is like having green eyes. It is not wrong or right. It just is.

[@carolinevivion9173]

@@Catlily5 That's true, thank you.👍

[@Catlily5]

@@carolinevivion9173 Take care. I hope things go well for you!

[@IExpectedBSJustNotThisMuchBS]

I'm a woman who used social isolation as a strategy as a girl and at the same time I was chatty.

[@TheGenbox2]

Oughtism effects everyone! Sooner we get beyond the the dichotomy of AS and NT, we'll make real steps, and see it as it is, "the canary down the mine' we can support people, not just defined categories we 'ought' to fit into.