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PSA: It is NEVER okay to joke about autism, special needs, etc. in game

Sir Chugs·7/25/2015, 3:58:32 AM·218 votes·13,126 views

It doesn't matter if you make jokes about being r%%%%%ed within your own social circle. It doesn't matter if you call a team member a r%%%%%, or a short bus rider, or whatever in your voice chat. Those circumstances happen outside of the game; and have no effect on the people within your match. Using slurs like that within the chat, however, cross a significant boundary of what is acceptable and what isn't. As a father of three, and an autistic firstborn child; let me be the first to tell you that it is hurtful, ignorant, and despicable. Thankfully, in a recent match, my teammates were decent human beings and called out the offenders for their wrong-doing.

I guess I'm just asking folks to think for a second before typing out their "smack talk" in game, and realize that there are people behind the champions; and that we should all be doing what we can to defeat the stigma of toxicity and poor community that this wonderful game carries. None of us knows what the person playing along with us may be going through IRL; but we should always strive to encourage an atmosphere of acceptance, tolerance, and appreciation of diversity.

217 Comments

A Superb Villain7/25/2015, 4:59:36 AM63 votes

My younger brother is autistic and it irks me to no end when people treat it as fodder for swearing or insults.

It isn't funny.

It isn't cool.

No one is impressed.

Stop.

Thank you, McChuggington. I appreciate you taking the time to bringing attention to this.

Rinky Dinky7/25/2015, 9:08:42 AM26 votes

Well, the term Autism has recently gained a whole new meaning on the internet.

It pretty much equates to (Socially Awkward)

Kinda like how faggot became a term for someone (Annoying)

Doesn't make it ok, but keep in mind they arent trying to insult autistic people per say, its just become slang.

I am an admitted offender of this. You have my apologies.

Bladeworked7/25/2015, 6:07:08 AM20 votes

I really don't get why people do this. People who say such rude and downright demeaning slurs such as 'retard', 'gay', 'autistic', etc., are uneducated and ignorant. I'm not saying they're not to blame --because they are-- but it's a matter of guidance and education. They do that with their friends offline and no one chides them, so therefore, it must be okay to do so online as well.

The lack of education, better understanding, and most of all, tolerance, is deplorable considering how "advanced" we are as animals. Shame how I'm a part of this generation.

All Day Tay Tay7/25/2015, 11:16:59 AM14 votes

im autistic and i dont care too much unless they are trying to be hurtful

Tansen7/25/2015, 5:55:11 AM14 votes

Seriously if you people can't take a random insulting comment from some unknown person in a game how do you get through life on a daily basis? Maybe it is the time i spent in the military or maybe I'm just thick skinned enough to not let any silly bullshit like that affect me. Grow a pair and ignore them, better yet click the little ignore button you are given in the game and stop crying.

8 years in the Navy and 20+ working in bars and factories I've paid every due there is to pay to speak my mind when and how I feel appropriate. Last I checked this is still the good ole US of A,and freedom of speech is still a constitutional right.

Chespin20137/25/2015, 10:45:28 AM9 votes

I was born with autism and it just gets tiring of having to deal with people using autism as a insult all the time. Everyday I see it and I always ask just why would you say something so hurtful. Having to see it on reddit, yourtube, social media, and online games is just disgusting to watch it happen. Thank you for making this post for people to be aware that joking about people with special needs is never funny. I'm all for joking around but if someone makes a joke like that makes me feel so angry about this ignorant brutes. Good to know there is still some humanity left in us. Hopefully in the future this hate will be gone and we can stop this intolerance soon.

Taredom7/25/2015, 10:47:16 AM8 votes

I couldn't agree with this more, my younger brother has both autism and down syndrome so it always irks me pretty bad when these slurs are so casually thrown around. I'm a father of three as well, although none of my children have these conditions, growing up around my brother, I completely understand the struggle, these children have it hard so why is it a social norm to use their conditions as insults?

Edit: A separate PSA, these insults are punished just as hard as homophobic remarks, sexism and racial slurs.

Azurada7/25/2015, 9:32:06 PM7 votes

I agree with this wholeheartedly. I was diagnosed with autism at an early age, on the high-functioning end of the spectrum. My sister has anxiety issues and my older brother had the actual ADD. I'm thankful to have understanding parents in my life.

Bugs the crap out of me that "autism" as a word is being used as a catch-all term for stupidity or some form of mental deficiency. Do people think it's cool if they're oddly specific with their insults? It just makes them look bad when they're off the mark, and even worse when someone actually is autistic in the group.

I'm gonna stop short. I have other issues with how people perceive autism and it wouldn't be appropriate to let it all out here.

Glory to God7/25/2015, 8:52:03 AM7 votes

I think this softened me a bit...You reminded me that some people have some real problems. I usually don't insult players for their mistakes, but some of my friends are doing it. I guess I'll try to avoid them. God bless you and your family.

Doctor Dyment7/25/2015, 9:59:12 PM5 votes

I have family, close family, who have autism and it makes me almost furious when people use it as an insult. It only makes you look stupid and a dick to everyone else.

chaetopterus7/25/2015, 11:28:21 PM5 votes

Thanks for making this threat. I'm autistic myself (high functional syndrome, so I can hide it if I put enough effort into it and just seem like a really strange guy, I was lucky) and seeing others use your condition as an insult really, really sucks. Especially since most people don't even know what they're talking about, but only heard someone using it as an insult before or got some smattering from movies or wherever. How is it possible that people will immediately jump at you if you insult a country or ethnic group, but this kind of phrase is seen as ok? (ending rambling here, sorry, but I just had to let it out once) On a serious note I understand how these phrases slipped into the internets usual tone. After all, being face to face with someone is entirely different then internet conversation (for people with empathy. I heard...) so people easily get the impression everyone thinking differently then them would be evil or stupid. But choosing the easy explanation by calling them autistic or whatever will only make things worse. (fun fact: since the difference between online conversation and rl conversation is smaller for autists, you could also say we were less likely to cause problems. At least, the usual problems.)

Jari7/25/2015, 5:16:16 AM4 votes

Thank goodness I thought I was alone on it. It's annoying when people use things like that to insult. Like... Seriously people. It ain't funny. If you said something like that on the bus, someone would slap you for it.

FlaminMoe7/26/2015, 3:03:12 AM4 votes

Just had 2 teammates gang up on our "retarded" mid. I can't believe these are children and adults that just have no morals.

LionelLeon7/25/2015, 9:10:38 PM3 votes

Preach! I'm tired of these trick2g wannabes playing udyr calling everyone autistic if they're bad, gets annoying.

Tokino7/25/2015, 5:47:35 PM3 votes

Instructions clear, am now calling people bronze 5 garbage cans instead.

But really though, thank you for making this post as it does bring attention to this fact, unfortunately, league being a free online game people often forget the existence of manners and lose the amount of respect they'd have for other people in real life. (unless they have no respect for people, which in that case their life probably sucks for a reason)

Anyways. Cheers from Toxic Nerf Irelia who is now calling people bronze 5 scrublords.

1000angrybees7/25/2015, 8:40:49 PM3 votes

personally, I blame the shitty ass idea that permeates internet and video game culture that "it's the internet" so people can act however they please towards others without consequence, when that clearly is absolutely asinine and dumb AF

Absolutely zero common sense. A lot of people have the emotional IQ of a god damn brick.

MajorPain97/25/2015, 9:16:04 AM1 votes

I generally use it to insult my own friends in chat. If we are playing aram they are more than likely talking to me on mic and I am talking to them in game. I'm not implying any of my context about your familiy or son.

I am implying that my friends are window lickers in chat. Sorry it offends you but I am going to have fun with my friends, and insulting each other is one of the best ways to do it.