Autism is a spectrum. It can be said that at one end of that spectrum there is what is
known as "classic autism" and at the other end of that spectrum there is what is known as
"Asperger's Syndrome". The woman below, Amanda Baggs is on the autistic spectrum and describes
herself as a woman with autism. She does not have Asperger's Syndrome. Amanda was featured on
Anderson Cooper's "Ac360" earlier this year. She has some very insightful opinions to share
about autism, her "native language" and what Neuro-Typicals (NT's - those who are not on
the autistic spectrum) define as thought, communication, and personhood. I find Amanda to
be very bright, very wise, and to have a very unique and gifted way of expressing herself.
With our ever-increasing technology we are beginning to hear the "voices" of those, who like
Amanda, are not verbal, but who like, Amanda, are very much alive and very much worthwhile
human beings. After watching and listening to Amanda both on Anderson Cooper's show and in
her YouTube Videos I am reminded of how we really are more alike than we are different.
"The first part is in my native language and then the second part provides a
translation, or at least an explanation. This is not a look-at-the-autie gawking
freakshow as much as it is a statement about what gets considered thought, intelligence,
personhood, language, and communication, and what does not." - Amanda Baggs
Dave Spicer's analogy of autistic people to different kinds of unusual rocks. (He wrote the words, I
did the video Used his words with his written permission. - Amanda Baggs)
