site name

[Lori]

I am wondering what people think of the name of this site, aspieSocial. The site is for adults on the autistic spectrum and i am wondering if people who do not identify as aspie will know that they are welcome. Any thoughts?

disclaimer: this is an unofficial question and will not necessarily have any effect on what the site is called.

[aspietalk]

lori and i had a rousing discussion this morning via email about peoples' different perceptions/definitions of aspergers vs high-functioning vs autistic vs spectrum vs.... i personally tend to orient more towards asperger's syndrome, while lori feels more comfortable with the autistic label. and she brought it to my attention this morning that calling the site "aspiesocial" might inadvertently make people who identify more as autistic feel unwelcome. which i certainly don't want.

so i think over the new year i'm gonna be trying to think of some super snappy, catchy name that somehow, in 2 words or less, summarizes "a social site for people on the autistic spectrum, including people with asperger's syndrome".

i'm dealing with a major branding issue at work with our outgoing design collateral, and now this. =)

[ojodebuey]

How about "spectrumsocial"? Or reversed into "socialspectrum" works too, IMO. Then the subtitle can indicate it's the autistic spectrum we mean here.

[GalileoAce]

I think "aspie" is more recognisable to "autie". Though "autieSocial" does have a nice ring to it, sounds vaguely like AntiSocial :P

Personally I tag myself with "Autistic" as a basic label, I further clarify it with "higher functioning autism" and then "Asperger's Syndrome".

[Star]

Yeah exactly! autieSocial is almost an oximoron (how can one be both autistic AND social) so in this case the fact that it sounds vaguely like antiSocial is actually a pre!

Star

[Star]

Maybe autieSocial could work better as it is a more general term than aspie...

Star

[Mercurygrrl]

I haven't really made my mind up on whether or not I identify as an 'aspie', a 'aspergian' or simply 'a person with autism'/'an autistic person'. However, I realize that this is a commonly used term withing the autistic community.

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

I'm fine with the name as it stands.

As for questioning whether somebody can be Autistic and social... I find social things difficult and I admit I often avoid anything beyond one visitor if I can help it... I am not anti-social. I'm an outsider who wishes he could become an insider.

Since I am not anti-social, I must be social at heart... and I am diagnosed with a High Functioning Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Ergo one can be social and autistic, even though the odds are against success.

Anyhow... I'm fine with the name as it is... and would not like to see it changed. I dislike change.

[Mercurygrrl]

I know what you mean - I'm a highly social person, but I find it difficult to socialize :(

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

It can be really frustrating... Admittedly its not so bad for me now I am married (20th Anniversary this year), but it was a very lonely time for me before I met my wife. I wanted desparately to mix with others, but seldom could figure out how that friendship thing worked and found myself stressed out and depressed by large groups of people. I'd often be found in dark rooms, corners and outside in the clean quiet air at parties.

I have one friend in real life (besides my wife and children)... but I wish I had a few more - especially friends who had a real interest in movies that I could watch my DVD collection with.

[Mercurygrrl]

I can relate, at least a bit... We just got married this past September, after living together and such for 4 years - he's 26 and I'm 22. He's my best friend and I don't really have anyone else. I have acquaintances. I go to uni and have people I sit with in lectures. They interact on the weekends and such, but I don't join them as I get really quiet and don't really know how to talk to them. I've always preferred to be around people who are older than me. Of course, I wish I had friends...

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

I got married when I was 22 :o) Congratulations Mercurygrrl :o)

I, too, have usually preferred people older or younger than I am. I tend not to mix well with peers generally. My friend in real life is actually only in his 20's... just a little more than half my age. My wife is only one and a half years younger than me... but then she's Swiss and from a different society.

Irene (my wife) is my best friend also :o)

[bjorker]

Sorry to butt in... but I can relate a lot to this, but in reverse. I'm 23 - well, just about 24 - and have always related so much better to people much older than me. My partner is almost 16 years older than me. I don't tend to mix well with my peers well either. I wonder if it'll switch when I get older, and perhaps I'll relate better/feel more comfortable around those younger than me, as you do.