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Recently, a prominent individual described people with autism as “noble savages.

Others in the entertainment and media fields have characterized individuals with autism as brats or having behavior issues.

In school children with autism are often marginalized and harassed.

According to a Kennedy Krieger study 63% of school aged children with autism have been bullied.

Often children with autism are perceived differently and judged more harshly by their peers and by teachers.

As adults this trend continues.

Often individuals with autism are not given the same opportunities as others.

They may face workplace harassment, due to their challenges.

Although things are improving, people with autism is a group that faces significant discrimination.

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According to the Oxford Dictionary Normality is: "The condition of being normal, the state of being usual, typical or expected. "

In a further search, one of definitions for normal is: "Free from physical and mental disorders. "

• Normality cannot be quantified, but can only be individually qualified.

• By nature it is subjective.• It is determined by a variety of factors. • It is rarely universal in its application. • Normality is influenced by religious, ethnic,

cultural,sub-cultural and upbringing factors.• Location and environment also influence

normality.

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• Normality is not static, but is fluid and can change over time.

• Often it is influenced by influential figures in society.

• Normality is shaped by the dynamics inherently present in society.

• It is evolutionary in nature.

• Often there is a lapse between pivotal events and a change in what society will perceive as normal.

• Change in societal norms will not be uniform or universal.

• Cultural, sub-cultural, religious and regional factors can inhibit openness to acceptance of new norms.

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There is societal pressure to conform to established norms.

People who are resistant to societal norms are viewed as non-conformist and are often dealt with in a prejudicial manner and even ostracized at times.

Families are significantly responsible in establishing norms.

• What is considered normal in one culture (or sub-culture) may be frowned upon or even deemed unacceptable in another.

Behaviors considered acceptable can be viewed as offensive elsewhere.

Differences can also be based on location or enculturation.

Even in traditional cultures, norms can and will change over time.

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The more isolated a culture, the more rigid the adherence to norms will be.

• Normality is subjective in nature and oftenevolves over time.

• It is determined by too many variables and is not universal.

• People portray themselves as normal when it is not the case.

• Individuals allow people to see the sides of themselves that they want.

• Every person has a public and private side.

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Most people have idiosyncrasies that they keep hidden or don't want to talk about.

Literature, studies and other perspectives clearly show that people have a great variety of interests that depart from the norm.

Publicly, people are less open about some of their beliefs, thoughts or desires.

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• Autism, as a pathological term and assessment is relatively new (about 80 years).

• There have been stories about well known and ordinary individuals with autism like characteristics For centuries.

• Due to a more formal and structured society, individuals with high-functioning autism could fly under the radar.

• Other individuals that would be seen as high-functioning would be viewed as eccentric, an iconoclast or unusual by others.

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• Leo Kanner wrote the first study to describe and establish the pathologies that make up autism.

• Donald Tipett was the first child to be formallydiagnosed with autism. His life was chronicled in Atlantic Monthly.

• Hans Asperger, wrote a similar paper on children that were of average or above average intellect with significant social cognitive deficits.

• Little was known about the disorder and few resources were available to help young people diagnosed with autism.

In the 1950s and 1960s Bruno Bettleheim theorized that autism was caused by cold and distant mothers.

Ivar Lovaas, a behaviorist,who created behavioral techniques and strategies to help individuals with autism to develop skills.

In 1965, Dr. Bernard Rimland and Dr. Ruth Sullivan created the Autism Society to create an organization that would do research, support families and individuals, information and advocate for people with autism.

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• Many young people with autism were institutionalized or put into academic settings that do not meet their cognitive needs.

More people are being diagnosed with autism. 1 in 68 people live with autism.

Prominent individuals with autism have made their stories and struggles public.

Public awareness has grown about autism.

More visible examples of individuals with autism have occurred in literature, film and TV.

Autism Speaks has incorrectly views autism as an epidemic and focuses mostly on seeking a cure.

More young people with autism are in mainstream educational environments.

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Often, people believe that individuals with autism have the inability to experience emotions.

Rather, it is the inability or impairment to express emotions.

Difficulty reading social contexts.

In reality, many people with autism experience emotions more intensely than neuro-typical people.

Situations where there is a lot of emotion can be stress inducing and may cause sensory overload.

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• Contrary to stereotypes, people on the ASD Spectrum establish very strong emotional attachments to others.

• When a neuro-typical person is not very outwardly emotive more positive qualities will be attributed to them than individuals with autism.

• An individual that does not express their emotions will be described as "reserved", "shy", "serious", "focused" or "resolute".

• People, who are not overly emotive may be perceived as strong.

• There are a variety of professions where people that express fewer emotions are sought and valued.

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• When a violent event occurs, at the hands of an unbalanced person pundits, commentators, and writers have, at times brought up the possibility person may have autism (or if they did have autism it was the cause for the action).

• Often it is unsubstantiated.

• The public is very uninformed about what high-functioning autism is.

• Multiple Incidents have been brought up as examples of the violent nature of individuals with autism.

• From my experiences most people with high-functioning autism abhor violence, don't embrace it.

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• Individuals with high-functioning autism are often characterized as having one or more obsessions.

• An obsession, is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary: "An idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind.

• Often, it is pointed out that we will focus on math, computers, science, video games or a subject to the exclusion of everything else.

• These interests bring us comfort and stimulate our minds.

• When a person is neuro-typical, people will view them as very focused, ambitious or having a very strong interest, not being obsessed.

• Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla Motors is seen as driven and innovative.

• Paul McCartney, is viewed as a creative songwriter that changed the face of music.

• Stephen Hawking, is admired by many and changed the way people look at the universe.

• Chef Gordon Ramsey, who created a restaurant empire and made food more accessible to the average person.

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• Individuals, with high-functioning autism are usually portrayed as socially inept, stubborn, critical or eccentric.

• Societal preconceptions create an environment where individuals are seen in a stereotypical manner and not seen for who they are.

• Neuro-typical people have the chance to make an impression.

• Like any other group of people with autism not a homogenous group.

• People look at the look at the world and perceive it in different ways.

• People need to celebrate commonalities and differences.

• Many people, who were seen as unusual or different have used their uniqueness in very creative ways.

• Look at Andy Warhol, Pink, Steve Jobs and many others.

• Instead of maligning people with autism we need to value what may makes them different.

• Look at their differences as potential strengths and weaknesses.

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• To some degree individuals with autism feel a need to follow rules.

• There is a desire to do so, due to a desire for stability, comfort and difficulty to view grey areas.

• Professor Simon Baron-Cohen wrote that people with autism do the right thing, due to the desire to follow a rule, not because it is right.

• It is incorrect to assume that we have no moral compass.

• People with autism often have a very strong sense of justice.

• Even with autism there is no absolute adherence to rules.

• Like with anyone, some people follow rules more than others.

• In daily encounters we meet people who are neuro-typical that follow rules stridently.

• There are individuals, whose personalities make them more rule oriented.

• Certain professions draw people that are more inclined to follow rules.

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• There is some credence to the concept of people with autism not liking change.

• Resistance to change is much more evident in people that are more severely autistic.

• When encouraged, nudged and supported we can become much more flexible.

• In my own life, I have picked up and moved to another country, traveled the world and changed career path.

• One of the ironies of people with autism are generally more open to people that are underdogs, diverse or different.

There are many instances where neuro-typicalsresist change.

In history there are numerous instances of this.

Attitudes and beliefs change over time.

It is a process for anyone to attempt to accommodate and accept change.

This is quite evident in sociological research, politics and in different types literature.

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• At times people perceive that individuals with high-functioning autism don't care whether they have friends or not.

• One can observe that individuals with autism may not enjoy social situations.

• People have said that I come across as aloof. Individuals have made that comment about my students more times than I can count.

• From other's perceptions individuals living with autism prefer to be alone.

• From my own experiences, for myself and the vast majority of people living with autism are half-truths or totally fallacious.

• Social situations can be very stressful for us.

• Individuals with autism are afraid of saying the wrong thing.

• Many individuals with high-functioning want to have friends, but don't know how to go about it and have trouble keeping friends.

• We can be shy.

• Neuro-typical people that have difficulty talking are seen as shy or a bit awkward.

• They will more likely be given a chance, as a friend.

• If a neuro-typical wants to be alone they need their space or are introspective.

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In a variety of works individuals, with Aspergers are characterized as being "Little Professors".

Some people with autism can talk about a subject for hours, with great detail and authority.

Teachers I have worked with have viewed some students with autism, as preachy, arrogant or patronizing.

• Some people with autism act in a pedantic manner, while others don't.

• What comes across as pedantic behavior, is more excitement about a subject, a desire to do well or insecurity.

• Social difficulties create pedantic situations.

• Accomplished neuro-typicals, who are pedantic are more likely given the benefit of the doubt.

• It is an accepted trait in some people with type a personalities.

• Look at Donald Trump, Sting, Simon Cowell,among others.

• In certain professions, pedantic behavior is more expected or even accepted.

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• Normality is subjective, fluid and influenced by individual experiences.

• Society needs to look at people with autism in a more humanized manner.

• Individuals with differences should be embraced instead of being marginalized.

• Look at the positives people with autism bring to the table.

• The traits explored can be positive and seen in people with or without autism.

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Special Thanks to Michael Miller for the Genesis of

the Idea for this Presentation and for his

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