Miscellaneous terms
Feel free to change the name, it was the best I could think of... which isn't the best lol
Autism community vs Autistic community
I have seen two different, but similar-ish meanings for these.
- The autism community is any allistic who knows or works with an autistic
- The autism community is mostly composed of people- autistic or not- who support stuff that the majority of the Autistic community does not. (For instance, supporting ABA, or trying to find a cure)
- The Autistic community is any autistic
- The Autistic community is mostly autistics but can also include any ally/anyone who supports what the majority of autistics support.
Autism mom/dad
An Autism mom or dad is, stereotypically, a parent of an autistic child who often complains about how hard it is to have a "child with autism", supports ABA
Autistic, With autism, On the Spectrum, Autist
- "Autistic" is identity-first language (preferred among autistics)
- "With autism" is person-first language (preferred among allistics)
- "On the spectrum" is sort of like a euphemism (seems to be disliked by autistics)
- "Autist" is a shortened version of "autistic"
Identity-first language is preferred among autistics because many believe autism is a part of them. If you remove the autism, you destroy everything they are.
Person-first language is preferred among allistics. While person-first language is usually preferred/recommended for many disabilities/diagnoses*, many who use this in regards to autism also hold beliefs contrary to the community.
~* Many of which don't have another way to say it and I wonder which would be preferred among those communities if an alternative was available. (Bipolar, OCD, BPD, Down's Syndrome, etc.)
