Dear ASD Community
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NB: after my website appeared in a message-board discussion online over if “autism” needs a cure… I have written this and hope it makes sense because I am a bit shaky writing it.
Dear ASD Community
Please stop speaking for me, I am an individual… and as an individual I would like to make up my own mind on what I want for me. I am tired of being asked “Don’t you want to be cured” and I am also tired of being told “you should accept how are you”
I don’t think I can be cured of ASD, because there is nothing to cure, BUT I do wish “parts” of  my ASD were cured, and I hope in time I can do that… Autism is a spectrum, you can be good at some things and bad at others, and being told that I am a puzzle, and seeing people constantly saying “us with Autism” or “those with autism” in relation to thoughts or actions is heart breaking. I have a right to think and don’t need others to think for me.
There are days I wake up and I wish for parts of the things I have trouble with cured, and I think anyone who suffers from any kind of impairment probably does the same. Yes Autism has with it some impairments. Some people wake up and wish they were taller to reach something up high, some wake up and wish there eyesight was better. I wake up and wish I could figure out how to get the draw open because I know what I must do, how to do it but I can’t get it in the right order
There are days I wake up and love how I am, but there are days I wake up and know I should not accept how I am. I need those days just as much as the days where I accept myself so that I can push myself to do more, so I can push myself to write, push myself to go grocery shopping, push myself to interact outside my comfort zone.
So please, don’t bring me into any debate on Autism, and please… no one ever say they speak for all those with Autism because as I have said,
I am an individual…
With my own voice.
I will speak for myself,
or choose who speaks for me.
So unless you have been told so,
You can leave me out,
Of any arguments or debates…
So that I can live my life how I want.~ Matty Angel
About The Author
Matty is a 36 year old girl who is an Autistic Poet, Writer and Artist and lives alone in Christchurch New Zealand with a kitty! Matty has given many talks on autism and about being unique in a world that's often not accepting, Matty has also engaged with artist and worked on Art projects Matty usually works on an Art project at the same time as a writing one! This means posts can be a bit delayed!
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3 Responses and Counting...
Matty, you are your own person, you’re also a special own person.
I have been constantly surprised by you and what seems easy to you, and what isn’t. But it’s the same for me, what I find easy, others look at me as though, but how did you know that or how did you work that out. We’re all just diffferent people, with our brains all wired differently.
That is a good thing, as it would otherwise be a boring world we lived in. And you’re right, there are definitely things I’d love to change about me, there are things I’m working on changing, and others I just have to accept.
I admit I don’t know much about autism, I have known people who’ve had children who suffered it but I never really understood it (still don’t).
Take care 🙂 (and give Princess NomNom a huge hug from me)
Hug given :)!
Well said Matty !!!