Is autism a disability?
I'm autistic, specifically asberger syndrome, I keep getting conflicting results on this subject, I ask my brother, he says it isn't, I ask multiple different forums and I get both a yes and a no. All I need is a straight answer
@Chikencake Unfortunately, I don't think there is an easy straight answer. Disability can be defined many different ways. One way that seems to be well accepted by many is that people are disabiled due to barriers in society. So someone who is unable to walk doesn't inherently have a disability but when buildings aren't designed for wheelchair access, that disables them.
I know some people with autism don't view having autism as having anything 'wrong' with them, but many things in society aren't designed in a way to allow people with autism to function well. For example, birthday parties at noisy arcades wouldn't be a lot of fun for those who find all the noises or the flashing lights to be too much stimlus. This can be applied to other things too such as school environments, work, people's attitudes, etc.
There are those who do view autism as a disorder - that something is 'wrong' with how someone processes information. If taking that viewpoint autism itself can be viewed as a disability or impairment. I have seen some autism groups distance themselves from that view, especially in the last decade.
@Chikencake Here in the UK, disability has a legal definition:
You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
For most conditions, including Asperger syndrome and the autism spectrum in general, the legal definition does not depend on diagnosis. It only depends on your ability to do normal daily activities. For example, someone who is unable to walk does inherently have a disability, according to UK law.
This means that in the UK you can have a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome with or without being disabled, in the legal sense. Whether you are disabled depends on how Asperger syndrome affects your life.
If you are somewhere else then your local laws might also define disability, but the definition might be different from the UK definition.
Charlie
yes ur disabled no matter what anyone says but that doesn’t mean bad! i’m disabled i have autism as well and we have such a loving community!