‘Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic’

When I borrowed this book via Libby / Overdrive through my public library, it was the featured selection for “Big Library Read,” March 23 to April 13, 2020.

First, concerning the book itself, I found it entertaining. Michael McCreary pokes fun, in an engaging way, at himself and his own foibles — including the notion of whether he, in his early 20s, has accumulated enough life experience to be able to write a memoir.

The book is geared toward a young readership and I found it a quick and easy read, with more “technical” information presented in easy-to-digest formats.

Given the potentially large readership this book will enjoy through its “Big Library Read” selection, I appreciate McCreary’s contributions to discussions of autism that center around the viewpoints of people who are, themselves, “on the spectrum.”

One of the things I appreciated was McCreary’s take on a potentially polarizing subject, the ongoing debate about whether we should be referred to with “person-first” or “identity-first” language.

(I say “we,” because I, myself, am on the autism spectrum.)

If you’re not familiar with what this debate encompasses, I’ll let McCreary explain it. An example of person-first language would be, “a person with autism.” Identity-first language would be, an “autistic person.”

McCreary believes that “people on both sides want to emphasize the value and worth of the individual. No matter what the person’s point of view, it’s important to respect their choice of terms.”

When it comes to writing about myself, I’m basically with McCreary: “My choice at any point depends on what makes the sentence flow better and provides the clearest meaning.”

Now for one concern — and, again, this concern is amplified, because being featured as the "Big Library Read” gives this book a wide readership. I disagree with McCreary’s viewpoint that “Only a professional can properly diagnose someone with ASD.”

This insistence on professional diagnosis excludes many who found out in adulthood that they were on the autism spectrum. (Diagnostic criteria has broadened over the years, so many — especially older — autistic adults missed out on being diagnosed in childhood.)

Getting a “proper,” professional diagnosis is an expensive proposition. Not everybody has the financial resources to devote toward that pursuit.

I understand that McCreary is a comedian, and so may be prone to exaggerating for the purposes of his humor. But there is a vast range of experience and inquiry between receiving a professional diagnosis and taking a single quiz on Buzzfeed. It isn’t simply a matter of doing one of those or the other to arrive at autistic self-awareness.

Society’s insistence upon on medical diagnosis before it will consent to remove barriers, represents a real challenge to people with “invisible” disabilities getting the support and understanding that they need.

Learn more about the Big Library Read: https://biglibraryread.com/