You're kidding, right?

Today is Autistic Pride Day.

Really?

Pride?

Autism is a disability. I have one working eye. I'm not proud of that. If I were in a wheelchair, or had cancer, or AIDS, I don't think I'd be proud of that either. I am proud to be a U.S. Citizen (most of the time), a Ham Radio operator, a voter... lots of things. But it doesn't make sense to me that one would be proud of something that has a profound negative impact on your quality of life. You might choose to either fix it, if it's fixable, or work to prevent it happening to others, if it's preventable, or perhaps work to obtain accommodation from the world for your condition. Or you might work to convince the majority not to perceive your difference as an abnormality. And those are laudable things to do.

Words have meanings. Pride means "a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired." It just doesn't make sense to talk about "pride" in something that isn't a quality that is widely admired.

As for autism, well, I just have to say that autistic kids rock!