The Problems with "Asperger's"

One of the most common questions I have ever heard or read online is, "Are Asperger's and autism the same thing?" Of course, there are nearly infinite iterations of this question, asking what the "differences" are between Asperger's and autism, and whether Asperger's is a subset of autism versus a mild form of it, or unrelated entirely. (There is not a general, broad-based consensus on the answers to these questions.)

The only current diagnostic difference between receiving a diagnosis of Asperger disorder or Autistic disorder is that in order to be diagnosed with Asperger disorder, an individual must have "no clinically significant general delay in language."¹ There is no other difference in diagnostic criteria, but that one difference that does exist is not only negligible but scientifically invalid and nonsensical. (This, of course, does not consider the very viable argument that autism should not in fact be included in the DSM, which is a manual of psychiatric disorders according to its own title, as autism is not a psychiatric disorder but a developmental disability.)

If all Autistic people have innate differences in communication and social interaction -- primarily with expressive language rather than receptive language -- then it does not matter at what age the Autistic person develops actual speech. All Autistic people will have neurologically divergent communicative abilities, whether for informative or social purposes, throughout the life span. Besides, it is acknowledged in nearly every publication discussing "Asperger's" that people who receive that diagnosis have communication and social problems throughout their lives resulting from their information processing differences.

Attempting to create an artificial divide between people who are "just Asperger's" and "actually Autistic" not only contributes to divisiveness and disunity among the Autistic community, but also does us a disservice by communicating false ideas to the world beyond our own community. As an Autistic friend of mine recently observed in a note on Facebook, the proud use of terms like Aspie and Aspergian is frequently associated with the so-called Aspie supremacists -- those who believe that they are genetically or otherwise superior to non-Autistics on the basis of the Asperger's diagnosis. (Some of the same endorse the rather absurd neanderthal theory of autism, that Autistics have more neanderthal genes than non-Autistics. Others buy into the inaccurate and harmful high and low functioning dichotomy.

The friend who authored the note encouraged Autistic adults and allies to avoid using the "Asperger's" terminology except when discussing the specific diagnostic label or its history. I agree with him.

Earlier today, I was interviewed at the Autism Women's Network weekly radio show along with three other people, one of whom repeatedly used the term Aspie and described some Autistics as from "the higher-functioning end of the spectrum" (though she did later question the validity of this false dichotomy.) I frequently read writings or postings from other Autistic adults in the community who prefer to describe themselves as Asperger's, Asperger autistic, Aspies, Aspergians or Aspergerians, or "mildly autistic." (When I was first diagnosed, my parents explained the diagnosis as "a mild form of autism." This is apparently common.)

These terms reinforce several false and dangerous notions:

1.) They reinforce the stereotype of autism rights or neurodiversity activists and advocates as Aspie supremacists. Most of us are not Aspie supremacists. We seek equity -- that is, equal access and opportunity as our non-Autistic peers across the lifespan in all facets of life -- acceptance, and respect, but not a new order with Autistics ruling over the poor non-Autistics.

2.) They serve to alienate those of us who do not use that kind of terminology, and those who have never received the "Asperger's" diagnosis, by separating one group of Autistics from another.

3.) They support the idea that some Autistics are fine as they are while others should be cured or fixed, by suggesting that it is okay to be Aspie or Asperger's while allowing for "autism" alone to be a negative, devastating experience. This creates a false distinction between "types" of autism. Some Autistics may be more disabled or more visibly disabled than other Autistics, but there are not different "types" of autism or Autistics outside other conventional types of diversity and individual experiences.

4.) They deny the disability experience of autism by creating connotations that align with the Aspie supremacist notion of "Asperger's autism." While the social model of disability is generally constructivist, it is extremely dangerous to deny that Autistics experience disability, including those who may be more mildly or invisibly disabled or able to "pass."

Asperger's is a term that carries far more baggage than it should, and until we can academically and objectively dissect its use and history, continued emphasis on this label and its associated labels will only harm the community. This is why I cringe when I hear people use the terms "Aspie" and "Asperger's," because every time someone insists on these types of terminology, that person emphasizes and reinforces some very dangerous ideas.

We are at a point where our community needs to foster as much unity and solidarity as possible, and one of the ways in which we can do this is through the language we use to refer to ourselves both within and outside the community. I do now and always have supported the right of individuals to determine what they wish to be called and how they wish to refer to themselves when using identifiers, but I urge those members of the community who are reluctant or less frequent to identify themselves as Autistic to consider the ramifications of this single, unifying identity label.

Using Autistic is a symbol of solidarity with all other Autistic people, because it emphasizes our similarities down to our very neurological wiring rather than calling attention to superficial or socially constructed differences in our apparent abilities. It makes it harder for those opposed to neurodiversity to draw on the high-low functioning dichotomy or the differences in criteria for diagnostic labels, because the word "Autistic" is all-encompassing. Autistic refers to any individual whose neurology is divergent from the typical range of variability enough to cause core characteristics of autism in information processing differences. It pays no attention to specific abilities and challenges, as these vary in every group of people. It pays no attention to specific diagnostic labels, because labels themselves are a social construction as essentially invalid as monetary value.

Autistic is an identity label that reclaims the notion that it is okay to be Autistic in any form, with any diagnostic label, with any manner of visibility of disability, with any severity of disability -- and that we are of equal value and significance as Autistics both individually and as part of the community.

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¹American Psychiatric Association. (2000). "299.80 - Asperger disorder" Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., text rev.).