Why I'm Not a Person With Autism
Person-first language is a pretty hot-button topic at the moment within the ASD community with varying opinions on either side of the argument. For those of you who don't know, person first language is the belief that we should say things like "person with Autism" as opposed to "autistic person". It stems from the idea that a person is more than just their diagnosis and should be treated as such. Interestingly, it is mostly parents and professionals that prefer this terminology, with people who actually have ASD often preferring not to use person first language. You might be thinking "They're basically the same, why does it even matter?", but what it really comes down to is the connotations. Some people dislike "autistic person" because it implies that they are defined by their disability, whilst others dislike "person with Autism" because it implies that they can separate themselves from their disability. Here's the thi...