Indigo,
I'm sure you didn't mean any harm by posting a description of Asperger Syndrome from the Autism Speaks website
This is correct.
but Autism Speaks is an extremely controversial organization and is much hated among many autistic self-advocates.
Some may say that any division among the ASD, 2e, and gifted communities is not a reason or justification for censorship, effectively promoting only one view to the exclusion of all others, such as precluding the posting the Glossary of Terms and description of Asperger's by Autism Speaks... amongst other resources shared in a thread discussing distinction between ASD and gifted traits.
The
position statement on the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) on "Unethical Fundraising Tactics Must Stop" is largely aimed at Autism Speaks
My post was not about fundraising, nor extolling the virtues of any particular organization. Do you have issue with the specific links in my post - in other words, do you find that Autism Speaks has errors/inaccuracies in their Glossary of Terms and/or their description of Asperger's?
Some organizations rely on fear and pity as fundraising tactics, invoking primitive changeling imagery to characterize Autistic adults and children not as human beings but as burdens on society that must be eradicated. These exploitative and unethical practices devalue people on the autism spectrum and others with disabilities, making our lives and those of our family members more difficult. When the message of autism awareness becomes one of stigma, dehumanization, and public hysteria rather than one of civil rights, inclusion, and support, we face a grave threat to our efforts to be recognized as full and equal citizens in our communities.
Was there anything in the linked Autism Speaks Glossary of Terms and/or description of Asperger's which you found to match ASAN's concerns
(describing not as human beings but as burdensome, devaluing people on the Autism spectrum, messages of stigma, dehumanization, hysteria...) ?
While this list may be helpful to some, and I would not attempt to censor your presentation of it, I do not see the connection between each point mentioned and the DSM-5 and/or the ADOS. Lacking clear connection to DSM-5 and/or ADOS, some may question this definition.
At the bottom of the ASAN definition of Autism which you linked, ASAN states that the content was sourced from a page on change.org, called What is Autism... apparently either the link is broken, the page moved, or no longer exists, further calling the definition into question. Some may say that in using the term "Recovery", the ASAN article may have mischaracterized the
2013 research, which does not argue that a recovery has occurred, but reports on assessment results and asks appropriate questions. A
2015 research follow-up is also available.
The OP and others may benefit from reading about the various vantage points within the ASD, 2e, and gifted communities, including changes over time such as changes from DSM-IV to DSM-5 (2013) and the resultant ripple effects.
