"You must be VERY High Functioning!" AUGH.

Okay I just had this discussion (but in much more diplomatic and polite terms)
 with a medical professional
AGAIN.*

 And No, they do not Know Better either, so lemme clear this up for yall.


Stop telling autistic people they are “Sooo High Functioning!” with this congratulatory grin,
like you think it’s some kind of compliment that you, a layperson without knowledge of autism, cannot magically “tell” an autistic person from anyone else. Autism has no physical markers.

 Look by this year and time, we most of us know why it would be bad to say, upon meeting someone who is a racial minority,
“Oh, wow, You’re *race*? I couldn’t even tell! You must be VERY educated! you’re so.. articulate!”
That is how you sound.

That is how you sound.
 
That is how you sound when you try to compliment autistic people by saying, “Ooh you’re so high functioning!”
You sound like a Granny saying, “Oh Dearie I couldn’t even tell you was Colored! You’re so well spoken and hardworking!”

You say those things and what we hear is “Oh you’re almost a real human being like me! You hid your nasty, nasty disadvantage sooo well! Congratulations, I couldn’t even tell you were so subhuman!”
We’re not hiding anything and we’re not happy with your insinuations that we ought to, or with your hints that it’s sooo nice we are Almost Real People Like You.


*
I have met, in an entire lifetime of interacting with Medical professionals, exactly ONE who knew any actual facts about Autism and did not instantly, well-meaningly, try to“compliment” me with patronizing nonsense learned from Autism Speaks billboards.
One.
And I have a series of medical problems meaning I’ve got a kind of networked team of pros that changes every time I move.

Psychiatrists & psychologists sometimes know a little about autism.
Medical professionals generally can be expected to know worse than nothing. (yes I consider misinformation and patronization to be worse. The only plus is that they DO know vaccines cannot cause autism.)

I realize they are not in the mental health field but it might behoove the colleges and courses to take a few weeks of medical schooling to cover some common disabilities and conditions, and how NOT to talk to people who are/have them!  *facepalm*

Minor epiphanies (warning, sexually motivated violence discussed)

I kind of gave another Martial Arts friend, who is Male, a minor epiphany earlier this last year.

"Look, there is a difference: How and Why a statistically probable attacker comes at you ( A Male) is not going to be the same as how and why he comes at me ( A Female). 

Statistically, if a guy attacks you, he’ll be some dude you don’t know, and it’s because he wants to start a fight- It’s a male dominance thing. There’ll be a bit of posturing and he’ll do the come at me bro thing, or he’ll be telling you to give him your wallet. 

On the other hand, statistically, when I (female) am attacked it will be someone I know and it will be sexually motivated. He won’t be aiming primarily to  damage me or take my money, he’ll be aiming to drag me somewhere, control my body position and ability to escape, and try to touch or rape me, then probably murder me to keep me from talking. 

The techniques I use are learned with this mindset. You’re defending your wallet and your ribs and face. I am defending my body and my Being from violation. A guy who grabs you wants to hit you a few times and take your stuff. A guy who grabs me, I have to assume, is there for rape and murder, in that order.”

He’d never considered that before.