Autism and kids

[Doctors HATE them]

I have autism and I think it's unethical for myself or anyone else with autism to have children. I'm not an anti-natalist, though I sympathize with the idea; this is more about autism specifically. I think that autistic people have value, but as someone with autism myself, I recognize that people like me struggle every day. We are at higher risk of depression, bullying, and abuse. When I bring this up to non-suicidal autistic people, I get angry responses about how I'm giving in to nuerotypicals or that I'm a genocidal maniac. Am I really so bad for trying to prevent suffering? Autism itself isn't what's bad and autistic people aren't bad either; what's bad is the things that come with autism like depression. Even the calmest people disagree with me. They say stuff like "autistic people are gaining respect every day and that it doesn't make sense to prevent one from being born just to avoid oppression." To that I say that I doubt neurotypical people will ever be the ones pushing for our rights and that having an autistic child is just setting them up to fight for their lives. No one has proven me wrong on this so far, but they don't change their opinions either. They say that preventing autism for the above reasons is a slippery slope because by that logic people shouldn't have kids if they're minorities either. So then do we join just keep pumping out soldiers? Wouldn't it be better to just let the oppressors win?

 

[whatevs]

Eugenics has always made sense. These people that are horrified by your compassionate prevention of infirmity and suffering are just the cultural result of the aftermath of WW2.

 

[FuneralCry]

I think that procreation could never be justified under any circumstances, it's something so incredibly shameful, unnecessary and it's also harmful to bring life into this awful world, but anyway I agree that especially those with autism shouldn't procreate. I believe that having a form of autism (Aspergers in my case) has been a reason as to why I've hated being here so much and have never wanted to exist, the way that I see it at least in my experience autistic people are not meant for this world. But I do think that not bringing life here at all is the solution to the problem that is human suffering.

 

[Doctors HATE them]

I think that procreation could never be justified under any circumstances, it's something so incredibly shameful, unnecessary and it's also harmful to bring life into this awful world, but anyway I agree that especially those with autism shouldn't procreate. I believe that having a form of autism (Aspergers in my case) has been a reason as to why I've hated being here so much and have never wanted to exist, the way that I see it at least in my experience autistic people are not meant for this world. But I do think that not bringing life here at all is the solution to the problem that is human suffering.

I agree with the part about autism but the reason I'm not anti-natalist is that I think something will eventually replace humans. Imagine if chimps became sapient but still had their normal emotional regulation skills. They'd suffer even more than humans have. I think we as a species have to live at least long enough to develop the technology to wipe out everything. There can't be any life left because then it might become intelligent and restart the cycle.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

I wish for nothing more than that autism disappear just as smallpox did (I say that as an autistic person).

 

[CTB Dream]

Reproduc bad autism no autism but say this autisti vry bad awful condition

 

[sheepgirl]

I'm autistic too and I would never bring kids into the world because 1. It's a messed up world 2. I simply couldn't cope 3. I don't like children. Plus the chance of them being autistic and developing mh issues being there too

 

[silence ends]

Yes, people with neuro or mental problems should never pass the genes any further. Should be illegal. Im undiagnosed autist with mental health issues myself and going to ctb becouse i cant handle the pain for living as myself in this world

Yes, people with neuro or mental problems should never pass the genes any further. Should be illegal. Im undiagnosed autist with mental health issues myself and going to ctb becouse i cant handle the pain for living as myself in this world. I've recognized this kind of problems coming from previous generations

 

[NotHuman]

Honestly, my fellow autistics and I have always felt like cheap imitations of the real thing. To me it's no wonder we don't find acceptance; without the social component we behave like automatons. I feel pain and suffer, but all the behavior I exhibit comes off as stiff, robotic, and unconvincing even to myself. This makes it very easy for me to recognize an autistic person when I see one in person: directionless, scripted, distant, single-minded, prone to fantasy and distraction, the familiar blank stare with the deadpan eyes.

I don't see how anyone benefits from bringing more of us imposters into the world. Isn't it a confusing and stressful enough place as is? I feel sorry enough for the people I must impose my own presence upon.

 

[Inferno]

I think children diagnosed with autism or any other disability early in life should be euthanised to spare them from the pain of living.

 

[Doctors HATE them]

I think children diagnosed with autism or any other disability early in life should be euthanised to spare them from the pain of living.

I wouldn't even go so far as to say that. I just think that we need legalized assisted suicide for the people who really need it. You might be taking away a happy life, so imo it'd be better to just let them decide what they want.

 

[libby]

Not everyone who is autistic suffer depression. Also being autistic doesn't mean your children will have it. Also you don't have to have autism to be depressed. I think it depends on the individual. If they want to have children then they should. Also I think it depends on what part of the spectrum they are on.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Not everyone who is autistic suffer depression. Also being autistic doesn't mean your children will have it. Also you don't have to have autism to be depressed. I think it depends on the individual. If they want to have children then they should. Also I think it depends on what part of the spectrum they are on.

People are basing their views more on statistical likelihoods than absolute certainties.

 

[sincerelysad]

this type of eugenics genuinely makes me nauseous. i know plenty of autistic people who love being autistic and wouldn't change it for the world, even if they did have the opportunity.

preaching for eugenics because you're unhappy is so beyond unethical because we cannot trust the people that would be in charge to not euthanize those who are comfortable with themselves.

just like how assisted suicide in canada was praised for being progressive, now they're literally euthanizing homeless people who admittedly do not want to die instead of offering them resources simply because it's cheaper.

it's okay to feel this way and to feel frustrated, but preaching eugenics will never be okay because of those who will be in power if that sort of thing becomes a reality.

 

[kazewoatsumete]

bro this is a bad thread….

 

[LaVieEnRose]

People like me being collateral damage is just a necessary evil I guess.

 

[punkarmadillo]

We are not sick, our brains work in a different way, we are not pariahs, lepers, damaged goods. We can be valuable members of our families, people are affected in so many different ways to varying degrees, just as we are living in an allistic led world doesn't mean that is the right way or the only way, epileptics used to get locked up, being anything but heterosexual was illegal, this attitude especially from supposedly fellow autists makes me sick, I respect your choice not to have children, that's everyone's right to choose, but do not use being autistic as an excuse, do not tell me it is a sickness, a failing. I do not like this idea that anyone who has children is evil. If resources were managed, if greed wasn't so horrendous, if selfishness and the need to judge wasn't so awful, the world would be a lot better, animals wouldn't be harmed, there would be plenty food and land for all, but close minded judgemental attitudes are not ever helpful. Yes I'm suicidal, yes I'm depressed, yes I'm a parent, would I change having a child? No! I would though change the world she was born into nd the attitude of fellow humans. There's a damned good reason I have always preferred animals to people and this thread alone is a good demonstration of why,

 

[Doctors HATE them]

Its a bad feeling logging back on and having a bunch of people telling me the same thing I've heard a million times, but still having nothing that proves me wrong.
Call it whatever you want, but nobody is harmed this way. Nobody is killed or persecuted or made to conform just by choosing to not have kids. To be completely honest, I think some of you are just using eugenics as a buzz word to make a completely reasonable statement look bad.
I made it abundantly clear that I don't hate or even dislike autism itself. What I hate is that we are more likely to suffer from depression and be bullied. To not trust NT people to fight for us when they have been putting us down for so long isn't unreasonable imo.
I look at some of the reactions in this thread and see autistic people being frustrated at other autistic people for not liking their condition, and I'm just wonder how few people on this site actually care about reducing suffering.

We are not sick, our brains work in a different way, we are not pariahs, lepers, damaged goods. We can be valuable members of our families, people are affected in so many different ways to varying degrees, just as we are living in an allistic led world doesn't mean that is the right way or the only way, epileptics used to get locked up, being anything but heterosexual was illegal, this attitude especially from supposedly fellow autists makes me sick, I respect your choice not to have children, that's everyone's right to choose, but do not use being autistic as an excuse, do not tell me it is a sickness, a failing. I do not like this idea that anyone who has children is evil. If resources were managed, if greed wasn't so horrendous, if selfishness and the need to judge wasn't so awful, the world would be a lot better, animals wouldn't be harmed, there would be plenty food and land for all, but close minded judgemental attitudes are not ever helpful. Yes I'm suicidal, yes I'm depressed, yes I'm a parent, would I change having a child? No! I would though change the world she was born into nd the attitude of fellow humans. There's a damned good reason I have always preferred animals to people and this thread alone is a good demonstration of why,

I think the issue with this is just "what do we do in the meantime?" I said in the first post that I don't think having kids just to make them fight for respect is ethical. Equality isn't something that can be achieved in one generation.

 

[punkarmadillo]

Its a bad feeling logging back on and having a bunch of people telling me the same thing I've heard a million times, but still having nothing that proves me wrong.
Call it whatever you want, but nobody is harmed this way. Nobody is killed or persecuted or made to conform just by choosing to not have kids. To be completely honest, I think some of you are just using eugenics as a buzz word to make a completely reasonable statement look bad.
I made it abundantly clear that I don't hate or even dislike autism itself. What I hate is that we are more likely to suffer from depression and be bullied. To not trust NT people to fight for us when they have been putting us down for so long isn't unreasonable imo.
I look at some of the reactions in this thread and see autistic people being frustrated at other autistic people for not liking their condition, and I'm just wonder how few people on this site actually care about reducing suffering.

I think the issue with this is just "what do we do in the meantime?" I said in the first post that I don't think having kids just to make them fight for respect is ethical. Equality isn't something that can be achieved in one generation.

If you think this is a reasonable statement I'm glad don't know you.

 

[Doctors HATE them]

Please someone debunk my points. I'm so tired of being seen as a crazy person. I want my beliefs to change more than any of my critics I can guarantee that.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Please someone debunk my points. I'm so tired of being seen as a crazy person. I want my beliefs to change more than any of my critics I can guarantee that.

It's okay. In your first post you literally made no mention of actually killing someone already existing or even imposing your view on other people and trying to control their reproduction. You just offered an opinion.

 

[5417807]

Parents with autism are more likely to understand their autistic child's needs and help advocate for accommodations and accessibility for the child that will set them up to have a better adulthood then most autistic people of today who were pushed to the side or praised in early childhood and then received no help for their disability and never learned to help themselves. Saying one blanket group of people should not have children is dumb because all genetics is a lottery with unknown consequences. There may be an entire blood line of people who have no disabilities who then have a severely disabled child because it was a gene that needed someone else's specific gene to create the disability to actually be present. Just because you're unhappy with your disability and don't/didn't get accommodations doesn't mean that there won't be a better future from autistic advocates for autistic children and your view is completely nihilistic and self centred

 

[attempt2]

As someone that is autistic I think I'm now of the opinion that I wouldn't want a child to inherit my autistic genes, but I'd be a great parent still. I think I'd be more likely to just adopt; there are plenty of kids out their without a family so hopefully I could help raise one of them instead

 

[libby]

We are not sick, our brains work in a different way, we are not pariahs, lepers, damaged goods. We can be valuable members of our families, people are affected in so many different ways to varying degrees, just as we are living in an allistic led world doesn't mean that is the right way or the only way, epileptics used to get locked up, being anything but heterosexual was illegal, this attitude especially from supposedly fellow autists makes me sick, I respect your choice not to have children, that's everyone's right to choose, but do not use being autistic as an excuse, do not tell me it is a sickness, a failing. I do not like this idea that anyone who has children is evil. If resources were managed, if greed wasn't so horrendous, if selfishness and the need to judge wasn't so awful, the world would be a lot better, animals wouldn't be harmed, there would be plenty food and land for all, but close minded judgemental attitudes are not ever helpful. Yes I'm suicidal, yes I'm depressed, yes I'm a parent, would I change having a child? No! I would though change the world she was born into nd the attitude of fellow humans. There's a damned good reason I have always preferred animals to people and this thread alone is a good demonstration of why,

Well said