We Don't Talk about Aspergers!

 Why We Don't Use the Term "Asperger's" Anymore

Why using the word is outdated

Did you know that when referring to autism, we do not use the term Asperger's anymore? Well, you're not alone.  Since 2013, the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition)  (and ICD-11, 2019) has removed this word.  The reason being is because the person who they named it after wasn't a great person.

Hans Asperger, an Austrian psychologist (1906-1980) is where the name Asperger's syndrome comes from.  You're familiar with World War II, right?!  I hope so! If you don't know who Adolf Hitler is, research! I'll say this, the Nazis were the bad guys in the war.  What they did was wrong.  Hitler believed that anyone who was a Jew, should be killed.  He was the leader of the Nazis.  A few years ago, an Austrian medical historian, Herwig Czech, found that Asperger's clients were reported in the journal Molecular Autism.  "Czech wrote in the medical journal that "[Prof Asperger] managed to accommodate himself to the Nazi regime and was rewarded for his affirmations of loyalty with career opportunities". An editorial in the journal, written by Cambridge academics, said that Asperger "willingly became a cog in the Nazi killing machine" and "part of the eyes and ears of the Third Reich". BBC| Hans Asperger 'collaborated with Nazis' in WWII (April 19, 2018) . BASICALLY HANS WAS A NAZI!!!

The video above shows a quick description.


Now, autism is a spectrum.  Meaning, each person with autism is uniquely different.  If you've met ONE person with autism...CONGRATS!!!!....you've met ONE person.  I'll say this, that is true, but some behaviors and interests CAN match up.  It's like having chocolate and vanilla ice cream.  They both are ice cream flavors, but they taste and look differently.  I have friends who have different autistic traits than me, but we mesh well together.  




I really like calling it a spectrum.  While it can be hard to feel like I'm alone, having a community of people who understand me in a certain level and degree, can be very beneficial and validating.  

I'll say this, if you use the term Aspergers, it can be very harmful.  I don't associate with Hans Aspergers.  He was an evil man who killed his clients and worked with Nazis....

Sometime later on, I'll write about how the terms "high" and "low" functioning are also considered harmful.

Happy Monday! About almost 1/2 way through May 2025! 



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