Carrie - calling someone autistic could be an insult in the same way that calling someone disabled regularly is. The preferred term is “person with autism” and person with a disability” to remind the person and the rest of us that the disabling factor does not describe the totality of the individual, and his/her/their capabilities. Still, most people with a hearing disability do prefer to be called “deaf “ and perhaps some people with autism may choose to be called “autistic”.
This is a great column, so well done.
Carrie - calling someone autistic could be an insult in the same way that calling someone disabled regularly is. The preferred term is “person with autism” and person with a disability” to remind the person and the rest of us that the disabling factor does not describe the totality of the individual, and his/her/their capabilities. Still, most people with a hearing disability do prefer to be called “deaf “ and perhaps some people with autism may choose to be called “autistic”.