I understand your opinion here completely, but personally I feel that among a group a lexicon can be developed whose meanings outside the group are irrelevant, so long as everyone involved understands and appreciates the additional meanings the words hold for others.
I've always been okay with dark humor, never thought any subject (e.g. holocaust, cancer, etc) should ever be taboo matter for humor regardless of how dark it is in reality. I would never presume to tell a comedian "the material you used for that skit, that's really not something to joke about."
To me it's the same principle. I certainly would never mean to mock those with autism or their families who struggle alongside them, and you have my utmost respect for the difficulties involved, but I don't feel that the subject is of such gravity that I can't use the word as hyperbole in a private context.
I've always been okay with dark humor, never thought any subject (e.g. holocaust, cancer, etc) should ever be taboo matter for humor regardless of how dark it is in reality. I would never presume to tell a comedian "the material you used for that skit, that's really not something to joke about."
To me it's the same principle. I certainly would never mean to mock those with autism or their families who struggle alongside them, and you have my utmost respect for the difficulties involved, but I don't feel that the subject is of such gravity that I can't use the word as hyperbole in a private context.