Guest Post by Paul Isaacs
Firstly, this is my stance from an autism politics perspective – I am a moderate meaning I am neither a culturist nor a curist.
I don’t see autism as an identity (that has been created around the condition) nor do adhere to extremes of rhetoric. My professional obligations are to listen to people’s perspectives and realities regardless of their affiliation or stances.
Donna Williams’ fruit salad analogy which offers a three dimensional approach to autism offers people the chance to look at this from an objective lense.
There are some autistic profiles which are neurological based that include autistic personalities (all human beings have up to 4 to 6 personality types).
Other profiles may have gut, immune, metabolic, cellular or collagen challenges that impact on day to day life, others may have dietary disabilities that range from intolerances to vitamin malabsorption – these will have an impact on information processing along with any other specific overlapping identifiable conditions.
So the group above needs a seat at the table when it comes to advocacy, and support – be it also for other aspects such as people with oral apraxia/body apraxia, those with faceblindness, social emotional agnosia for example.
So what is “autism”?
“Clinically, however, those with autism not only fit a range of ticks on a DSM5 checklist, but underneath that static 2D linear snapshot is a dynamic multilayered 3D reality of usually unidentified but nameable disabilities occurring in episodic (now and then) or chronic (daily) forms anywhere from subclinical (unproblematic quirks) to acute (disabling).”
For me I am idiosyncratic, solitary, self – sacrificing, serious, mercurial – these are all parts of the patchwork of my personhood – the first two being “autistic” in presentation – the information processing challenges I have changed over time, as have my mental health challenges and so forth.
Let’s not create inaccurate conflation between personality types /mental health conditions/trauma as all the same because they aren’t and that very important to recognise when sharing information about autism.
I see myself as Paul first, my likes, dislikes and achievements aren’t all to do with being autistic because people are made up of multiple aspects one word cannot really be justified in describing a person. I strive for balance on this.
At its heart, the approach I have is an egalitarian one in which the profile that you are learning about has to come from a place of objective reasoning.
This means that I will be meeting autism “fruit salads” that have different combos to my own. Extending that point further ,I dislike being the focal point or the one who has all the answers (I cannot) – instead, for me , it is a collaborative effort with other people involved.
My “autism” isn’t “the autism” nor do I partake in the narrative of speaking for all, this can mean that other realities/perspectives get lost/ignored because they don’t fit the narrative/group think that is being supplied. So I say, dare to look beyond your own reality.
Paul Isaacs 2024