 Do you remember a time when people used to say gay or use the R-word to describe things and people that they did not like? Autism and the many phrases that tend to come with it such as sped or acoustic are now taking this place. I think many of us are partial to an autism joke here and there, but only if it has some substance and sense to it. But it's being thrown about willy-nilly and in a lot of cases used as a flat out insult. Look, I'm all for tasteful comedy and freedom of speech, but there comes a point at which creators, people who have large platforms out there, need to stop stigmatising autism as a negative term. Normalising such a trend in language can have very real effects on the way that people treat autistic people. The truth is, autistic people are a protected group, and many of us have experienced disproportionate levels of bullying and harassment in our lives, both at school and in the workplace. So I implore you, please don't add to this further. What are your thoughts? Let me know down in the comments.