AIBU to feel conflicted about Elon Musk having ASD?

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Elon Musk announced he has Asperger's disorder on SNL. On one hand I'm glad someone famous is openly stating that they are on the spectrum, but on the other, I feel that it perpetuates a stereotype of people with ASD being male tech gurus with a serious case of 'being a bit of an asshole'. AIBU to think that way? Should I just be happy for more representation?

@Bigbluebuttons

Moonpeg will you answer my question please? How is their ASD relevant to their behaviour?

You are being disingenuous. If you know anything about the autism spectrum you will know that people who have it struggle with social interaction and with social expectations.

It's likely that the behaviour of these boys has a lot to do with their ASD. And it sounds absolutely the case that their parents are saying "Oh, they behave like this because they have this disability known as ASD."

Everyone (ASD or not) has to learn some social rules. Because we all live in society. Lots of people with this diagnosis do NOT terrorise their neighbours or describe another person publically as a paedophile.

Moonpeg

I had only come across nice autistic people over the years in person, until I came across a group who had taken on the social behavior copying of badly behaved people in the Queer ideology movement, I suspect they like your neighbours will behave just fine around good role models. Sorry you are going through a hard time.

I came across a screaming boy in Ikea recently, I can't cope myself with the high pitched scream so I distracted him, I don't normally interfere I couldn't take it though, his parents shouldn't have taken him if he can't cope, the lighting department is too much for me so I had sympathy with him, I guessed the parents had limitations and maybe if someone guided them they could parent better, I interfered enough though. I hope your neighbours get help with parenting they sound very limited in their abilities.

@Pinkpaisley

You might be upset about the stereotype of the tech genius, but when the only support programs want to group your child with children whose autism manifests completely differently, having those examples to point to is incredibly valuable. There is basically no support out there for kids who are extremely intelligent, highly verbal, but deal with overwhelming stress from trying to just get through the day in a world built for NT people.

It's more the 'asshole' stereotype I have an issue with. And he's leaning into that by indirectly implying that the reason he sometimes calls emergency service workers pedophiles on the internet is because 'that's just the way his brain works'.

In other news, the Pope has come out as Catholic, and scientists have discovered water is wet.

No shit Elon?

Nearly all autism groups I'm in on Facebook are full of posts expressing absolutely no surprise whatsoever and OMG, we don't want him as a spokesperson/ role model/ poster boy.

He's not a nice person. I'll never forgive him for what he called one of the cave rescuers.

LookingGlassMilk I really hope this will be great news for your son.
Please try to emphasise that different thinking does not mean inferior or 'less than' in as many ways as you can.

You mentioned your son's about to start counselling, please do make sure the counsellor is qualified to counsel someone who has ASD, ordinary counselling techniques are designed for typical NT responses, but sessions tailored to clients with ASD can be very helpful.

It's more the 'asshole' stereotype I have an issue with. And he's leaning into that by indirectly implying that the reason he sometimes calls emergency service workers pedophiles on the internet is because 'that's just the way his brain works'.

Yes this.

As I said before, and was misquoted by @flashylamp I have a problem with claiming to be autistic as a shield. And of course in celeb / well known circles everything is political - and how he chooses to say he’s ASC has potentially big influence. If he’s telling everyone to just excuse certain horrible behaviours such as the paedo comment by inferring ‘his brain just works that way’ it massively demeans what autism can be for many (which is not being as asshole - it doesn’t come with autism as a package).

I had pretty much the same reaction to this as I did when Ricky Martin came out as gay.

@bitheby

Nearly all autism groups I'm in on Facebook are full of posts expressing absolutely no surprise whatsoever and OMG, we don't want him as a spokesperson/ role model/ poster boy.

He's not a nice person. I'll never forgive him for what he called one of the cave rescuers.

I was going to say the exact same thing.

I think it's a really positive thing that it's less shameful and more of a thing we can be open and casual about - like having any condition, asthma or whatever.

The more people talk about it imo the less the stereotypes will hold weight - and besides, he's prominent and successful, so that's a good thing for people to be able to see.

But doesn't it add to the male misunderstood genius thing?

Which is being used all over the place to excuse shit behaviour by men, and also contributes to the underdiagnoses in girls?

And it's not about him- obviously he can and should post what he wants ( but, bitcoin,. satellites) but and a wider conversation about the misuse of these serious conditions.

Points taken re he it's his diagnosis so he knows it better than me. Also I think I misunderstood the opening post as he isn't claiming to represent people with ASD. Sorry for offence caused.

But having a ASD diagnosis doesn't give you free reign to say/do whatever you want.

I understand the conflict. It's great as other PP have said to see someone publicly do well and talk about their autism. But as a woman with autism who works in a field far removed from tech I now anticipate yet more people believing that all people with autism are tech geniuses with a tendancy to be a bit of asshole. That's far from Elon Musk's fault though. If we had more people talking about autism - not just tech billionaires - it might help raise awareness of the many ways autism can present. But then, it's not my place to ask other people to reveal their diagnosis just because it would make my life easier. Conflicted covers it.

Elon Musk doesn't need to claim Autism as a shield because he is a genius billionaire with millions of fans and that is shield enough.

@GlutenFreeGingerCake

Elon Musk doesn't need to claim Autism as a shield because he is a genius billionaire with millions of fans and that is shield enough.

He doesn't need to, but he did it anyway.

@WeeWelshWoman that's exactly how I feel. I worded it a bit weird in the opening and reading back it sounds as though I think I have an issue with Elon Musk being autistic, which isn't the case.

It's hard for people who are not tech geniuses or amazingly successful to talk openly about their diagnosis, because they can't as easily ward of criticism and discrimination with their big dick bibliography of achievements. And Elon talking about how he's just gonna be strange and inappropriate on twitter because he has Asperger's, but it's ok because he's rich and brought us electric cars, is not really a message that I'm jumping for joy over.

GlutenFreeGingerCake
Elon Musk doesn't need to claim Autism as a shield because he is a genius billionaire with millions of fans and that is shield enough.

He doesn't need to, but he did it anyway.

He isn't 'claiming' to have aspergers. This is a vital point and people keep insinuating he has claimed to have aspergers in order to excuse himself. He hasn't. He HAS aspergers.

@BuggerBognor

It’s positive overall (as the mother of a geeky tech-obsessed ASC boy) but it’s perpetuating the myth that “Asperger’s” (which doesn’t actually exist as a diagnosis these days) is the “good” type of autism that rich middle class clever people have. It’s only “mild” you see because people like Bill Gates and Elon Musk have it and they’re rich and successful.

If he’d come out and said “I’m autistic” it would have been more credible IMO.

Aspergers, as a diagnosis DOES exist.

He doesn't have to say 'I am autistic' to suit other people. He is perfect entitled to use his actual diagnosis, even if it no longer given

Even if it was no longer given. However certainly in the UK aspergers absolutely can and is diagnosed still, using ICD 10, which will soon be replaced by ICD 11 where aspergers will be dropped.

@flashylamp

GlutenFreeGingerCake Elon Musk doesn't need to claim Autism as a shield because he is a genius billionaire with millions of fans and that is shield enough.

He doesn't need to, but he did it anyway.

He isn't 'claiming' to have aspergers. This is a vital point and people keep insinuating he has claimed to have aspergers in order to excuse himself. He hasn't. He HAS aspergers.

I didn't say he was 'claiming' to have Asperger's, and I'm not sure that poster was insinuating that?

He's claiming that he can't help posting offensive and downright inappropriate content on twitter because he has Asperger's. That is using Autism as an excuse to be an asshole.

There are people who have had it as a diagnosis though, and will probably still use it as a descriptor (off the top of my head, Greta Thunberg said she had Asperger's in a recent piece and I recently read an interview with David Byrne where he talked about having Asperger's)