My take on Person-First Language

So, since someone is bound to ask why I call myself an autistic as opposed to a person with autism (or to insist that I switch, which isn't going to happen,) here is my take on person first language/identity first language/whatever other language there might be: I know what I prefer to be called, and you should call me the way I prefer. I prefer to be referred to as an autistic or an autistic person. I do this because ``person with" implies that I could also be a ``person without," and I would be a different person if I weren't autistic. I also wouldn't take a cure if it existed. (If you had something that would take out the sensory issues but leave the way I think alone, I'd take that in a heartbeat. But I wouldn't give up the rather awesome way my brain works in order to dump the sensory issues.) So I will call myself autistic, not a person with autism.

That said, if you prefer to be called a person with autism, a person on the autism spectrum, or to not have the autistic identity mentioned at all, let me know and that's what I'll do when describing you. Because the whole person-first language thing was described to me as being about respecting the person. Thing is, if person X says ``No, Y is not how I want to be described. I identify as Z," then even if the point of Y was to be more respectful, the way to be respectful of person X is to call him or her Z. This applies to ALL identity issues. So respect my choice, and I'll respect yours.

P.S. Yes, I've heard that the person-first language is actually to separate the disability from the person, and I don't know if it's the case. It also doesn't invalidate the most important part of my argument, namely that the respectful thing to do is to refer to a person the way he or she asks you to, even if you have been told that is the ``wrong" term to use.