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Are you autistic? || If you press the button, no person with autism is ever born again (or become autistic through other means), though existing people are left unchanged. Do you press the button?

Yes | Yes
4.9%
Yes | No
22%
No | Yes
25%
No | No
48%

7,631 votesFinal results

208

125

Replying to

This poll is an assault on autistic agency and a distasteful example of the ignorance faced by the autistic community. Click bait of the lowest common denominator.

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Natasha Krywald-Tompkins BCAv

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and

Being autistic doesn't mean that you can do/say anything you want to about autistic people. This isn't specific to this but gives examples of why saying "I am..." is not a justification for saying anything offensive/dismissive. shorturl.at/fhuyJ

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Natasha Krywald-Tompkins BCAv

Replying to

and

I would never deny someones self-diagnosis though. Not everyone has the privilege of being able to get a formal diagnosis. If she has self-diagnosed herself, that is still valid. That being said, the post still is not.

Replying to

and

Yeah. I'm in the process of trying to get a diagnosis now.

Natasha Krywald-Tompkins BCAv

Replying to

and

I understand, and I know and have experienced it can take years. Some never even get a formal diagnosis at all. I would never undermine anyone's self-diagnosis. But i have to ask, what about autistic people do you think is so undesirable that you'd erase their future existence?

Replying to

and

I don't want to erase their future existence. I mean, like, maybe for very severe cases where they seem to be very nonfunctional and having a really horrible time? But I like my brain and I really love other autistic brains.

Natasha Krywald-Tompkins BCAv

Replying to

and

Then why would you press the button? If you like your brain and love other autistic peoples brains? Being autistic is a huge part of my identity. I wouldn't want myself erased from future generations. If this button was real and was pressed before my birth, I'd not exist.

Replying to

and

If the button didn't include very low functioning autistic people (which I'm unsure about, I'd have to talk to a lot of families and think hard about the choice), then I would absolutely not press the button. I really value what autistic people bring to society.

10:20 PM · Apr 13, 2020

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Natasha Krywald-Tompkins BCAv

Replying to

and

You don't get to decide their quality of life. All autistic people matter just as much as anyone else. Whether you perceive their life to be horrible or not. Even those who are non-verbal matter. This button being pressed would mean many people I love wouldn't exist either.

Natasha Krywald-Tompkins BCAv

Replying to

and

A family member of mine lives in a care home for autistic people and you may think his life quality is bad because he hasn't got independence, but he is happy. He loves life. He matters. He is sweet, kind, intelligent, tuned in. He deserves to exist just as much as anyone else

Replying to

There’s no such thing as high/low functioning autism.