It’s not a super power

I’m a big fan of autism positivity. The world needs more feel-good ND stories, and just good ND stories generally. Like Fern Brady, a comedian who recently discovered that they’re autistic and discussing it openly. Or the surge in authentic representation in entertainment (looking at you @Chloehayden). Or this wonderful, sunshiny book compiled by autistic advocate/author Chris Bonnello (What We Love Most About Life).

I’m married to an autistic man and am raising 2 autistic boys.

I know the awesome, nontypical qualities and attributes autism can bring. But I absolutely do not support the “autism is a superpower” trope.

And it is a trope.

It downplays disability, and the fact that autism can come with significant support needs. There are parts of autism that are neither super nor powerful. Ignoring that does autistic people – and society’s understanding of autism- a disservice.

When people ask my husband what his autistic super power is, expecting something to do with data or technology, he likes to joke that it is ‘masking’*.

Part of the reason we have such rampant under-diagnosis and misunderstanding of autism is because we lack authentic and varied representation. The autistic person as savant is an overused, inaccurate stereotype. Far more autistic people have average IQs or learning difficulties than are savants.

But mostly, my issue is this; it reflects an ableist belief that ability equals value, and that a disabled person must compensate for their impairment. If disability compensated by skill is acceptable, what about disability that is not?

It’s a harmful message for everyone. People shouldn’t have to be exceptional. Disability doesn’t need to be excused or paid for. It’s part of being human. I want my family to be comfortable in their autistic selves, whether that is genius level overachieving or overwhelmingly average.

*Masking is when an autistic person consciously or unconsciously suppresses their external autistic traits. It’s a social survival technique which may be useful but extremely costly for the autistic person.