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We need to talk about some of the reasons people are against formal autism assessment
Addressing the fear-mongering
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Disclaimer
I am fully aware that there are many systemic barriers to accessing a formal autism assessment, such as cost, waiting lists, implicit bias, and poorly trained assessors. I am also aware that it may be in someone’s best interest for their particular situation to not have a formal autism diagnosis on the record.
However, I have recently started to encounter a lot of exaggeration and sometimes flat-out inaccurate reasoning as to why someone ought not to seek an assessment or diagnosis. I only have first-hand experience in the US and also recognize that there is a dearth of nice data consolidation that would make it easier to assess just how big of a problem having a diagnosis on record poses. Additionally, I am not a legal professional of any kind.
I also believe in universal design and think disability accommodations should be far less gatekept. That said, there are some benefits some folks might be depriving themselves or someone else of by eschewing formal autism diagnosis due to incomplete information.
