A lesson in terminology.

When a neurotypical (not just non-autistic, but completely neurotypical) person has asthma, he or she is asthmatic.

When an autistic person has asthma, it’s a comorbidity.

When a neurotypical person complains of pain, it’s probably a symptom of a disease.

When an autistic person complains of pain, it’s a because he or she is autistic, and nothing more.

When a neurotypical person wants to be left alone, he or she wants to be left alone.

When an autistic person wants to be left alone, he or she is antisocial.

What’s wrong with this picture?

(Disclaimer: I know these don’t hold 100% true, but this is an exercise in how profoundly a single diagnosis can change society’s view of a person, so bear with me.)