Normality Overlooks Potential

Written by: Janice F.

“Normality overlooks the beauty that differences give us, and the fact that we are different doesn’t mean that one of us is wrong. It just means that there’s a different kind of right.”

Faith Jegede Cole said one of the most beautiful things that I have ever heard about autistic individuals. Normal is subjective. No matter how one behaves uniquely, society will always be keeping watch and blowing judgments silently.

The worst part, these autistic individuals are being ostracised and criticised by passers-by who have no understanding of their backgrounds and condition. Just like anyone else, all of us are fighting a silent battle each day. We only know each other’s names but we do not know each other’s stories. Why should we then be given the extra privilege to judge these individuals just because they are different from the majority of us?

Faith’s words struck a chord with me. I understand her narration of her brother’s condition and having 2 autistic brothers is double the blessing but yet inevitably, double the problem. Autistic individuals have special tendencies to behave in certain ways that normal people will find distasteful, afraid of and even pissed about. However, not many can accept their behaviours and even lesser can understand why they behave that way.

Despite the news reports of inappropriate treatment towards autistic individuals, we also have to understand that we cannot blame all who have exercised the wrong behaviour. It is not common for many to have interactions with autistic people and honestly, we are not very much educated on special disabilities in school. We have to do our own research if not, we will be stuck in the well without a clue about autism. That’s when poor handling with autistic individuals happen.

It happens when we do not talk about it, learn about it or share about it.

Over the years, I must say that social media has allowed for more coverage on autism. There have been touching clips of this community on Facebook and more stories are being shared from the autistic individuals themselves, their siblings, parents and even friends.

I always have a spot for this special group of people. I know how it feels to see people with shifty eyes judging your brother and how it feels to hear mean and degrading comments about your brother. Yet at the same time, you feel proud when they make extraordinary achievements and when they show expressions of love and appreciation to the people around them.

Like what Faith has said, “do not tell me I am normal” because there is no such thing as normal when abnormal does not even exist.

Inspired by: Faith Jegede Cole TED Talk