Recently I came across this video by autistic Youtuber Stephanie Bethany and I feel she articulates a lot of good points I quite agree with, maybe controversially. I get this will never really be a water tight subject, not to mention the years of muddied waters from classic ableism and stigmatization as well as our own internalized ableism and trolling. The way I see it (as ONE autistic person) is EVERYONE, regardless of the way one's brain is wired, is a phenomenological product of their experiences from their prenatal sensations to this very moment in time. All of our sensations we can generally rank on a spectrum that ranges from "positive" to "negative", and at the end of the day, we all want some way to appreciate the sensations that we personally deem "positive". Now what those exactly are and how to get them is a question I can never truly answer for anyone other than myself at this point in my life. Nobody wants to be in a "personal hell", to be conscious is to have some organized semblance of sensations and a desire for certain sensations over others. Even if you're depressed and want to end your life, there is still a logical "want" in that. Building on that, I would argue there are inherent "negative" emotions no one wants without limits (pain, fear, sadness, and depression), now how those may be experienced and what causes them can certainly vary from individual but no one wants be nothing but "anxious and depressed". Indeed, feeling is a universal experience to a conscious mind and ultimately a mind wants a way to make satisfaction of those feelings, however if a brain is wired differently than another, then what brings that satisfaction to each brain will inevitably vary. THAT is what neurodiversity is about to me. An illness to it's very nature implies an inherent negative, however, when it comes to the mind, it will inevitably vary by subjectivity. There are things that bring me inherent joy that others see no value in and vice versa. It's really the core thesis of individuality (NOT to be confused with individualism). I ultimately want to feel happy and satisfied and what that means to me is for me to define and the onus is ultimately on me to ethically achieve it in the social parameters of the world I live in. My life experience as an autistic at this point has brought phenomenal experiences of immense joy and invaluable feelings of love and mutual affection with others I can't say I'd trade for anything honestly to the core of my conscience. I get not everyone can derive those feelings at this current moment in life and it would be dishonest of me to say these feelings weren't aided by discussions I've had with loved ones, friends, professionals, those in my communities, and the powerful psychoactive substances that are psychedelics. But nonetheless I've currently found a way to make it work for me and I don't feel my autistic brain has ever been the inherent problem in the same way I don't feel being gay has been the inherent problem. It didn't shield me from the toxicity of internalized self hatred and certainly showered my brain with very dark thoughts and toxic desires when I needed them least, but it's important to note it wasn't the only factor in that. When I trip, I experience a sobering awareness of what my brain is capable of bringing on to itself and no, of course not all of it is pleasant. But again, I don't see an inherent-ness to it exclusive to autism despite "mental issues" that have plagued me at points in my life with autism. Despite rhetoric that has been said either foolishly or sinisterly, neurodiversity is not wanting to live with a tortured mind (or medical issues like epilepsy) but a healthy mind accepting one's mind as they know it, what it's been through, and managing it in a healthy manner with respect to others. I can only speak for me and the conditions I have, but I can say I'm living proof one can be "neurodivergent" and happy and also say EVERYONE deserves happiness and contentment in a healthy, ethical way that works for them REGARDLESS of their neurotype and of course, no, "depression" is NOT a neurotype. It is a feeling no neurotype is bound or immune to.

You are part of the 'autism community' like Nazis are part of the 'Jewish community' or Klansmen are part of the 'African American community'. You are not a stakeholder we are going to "debate", you are an antagonist we are going to fight. You can malign, slander, and gaslight us all you want but step on our toes and you're going to get treated accordingly no matter how much you try and play disingenuous and dumb and hide behind your academic position. No one is denying your son's complex support needs or his self harm, however as an autistic person that has harmed themselves and knows many others who have, I can assure you we don't do it because it's an inevitable of our condition, we do it because we're fed up with life and the way those around us have treated us. Not to mention, when you suspend your academic institutional ABELISM, designed to subjugate and dehumanize us, you'll find that reaction is far from exclusive to autistics. How many people have committed suicide, cut themselves, partook in reckless behaviour, made impulsive decisions that took a toll on their/their family's life, etc? I think you and I would agree it's many, many more than just autistic people. I can't draw conclusions, but I wouldn't be surprised if his angst is at least partially rooted in how you parented him and how I can only imagine you treat him now seemingly viewing him as little more than a science project for your ego. "The economic cost", huh, what if instead of blaming disabled people for being disabled, we had a universal and robust system of social care and support that, by the economies of scale, drastically brought down the cost per person? I guess I can just dream right now, but I don't think your Americanized, individualist, professional middle class brain rot is going to usher it in. Regardless of how the class war pans out, neurodiversity IS the future whether you want to make an ass of yourself standing in our way or not. Stonewall didn't wait for homosexuality to be removed from the DSM, and we're not waiting for you.

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