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There's a thick book sitting on every psychiatrist's desk that has more power over our lives than most people realize.
It's called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
I'll be covering the history of Autism in the DSM this week and our evolving understanding the last 100 yrs
It's called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
I'll be covering the history of Autism in the DSM this week and our evolving understanding the last 100 yrs
September 22, 2025 at 4:27 PM
There's a thick book sitting on every psychiatrist's desk that has more power over our lives than most people realize.
It's called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
I'll be covering the history of Autism in the DSM this week and our evolving understanding the last 100 yrs
It's called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
I'll be covering the history of Autism in the DSM this week and our evolving understanding the last 100 yrs
When celebrities speak, people listen - even about medicine.
And no one understood this power better than Jenny McCarthy, who transformed Andrew Wakefield's debunked study into a mainstream movement that would endanger millions of children.
And no one understood this power better than Jenny McCarthy, who transformed Andrew Wakefield's debunked study into a mainstream movement that would endanger millions of children.
September 10, 2025 at 4:21 PM
When celebrities speak, people listen - even about medicine.
And no one understood this power better than Jenny McCarthy, who transformed Andrew Wakefield's debunked study into a mainstream movement that would endanger millions of children.
And no one understood this power better than Jenny McCarthy, who transformed Andrew Wakefield's debunked study into a mainstream movement that would endanger millions of children.
Lawyers planning to sue vaccine manufacturers secretly paid Wakefield £435,000 to find evidence linking vaccines to autism. He weaponized children's medical records and parents' fears to manufacture evidence for a lawsuit. By the time his deception was fully exposed in 2010, the damage was done.
September 9, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Lawyers planning to sue vaccine manufacturers secretly paid Wakefield £435,000 to find evidence linking vaccines to autism. He weaponized children's medical records and parents' fears to manufacture evidence for a lawsuit. By the time his deception was fully exposed in 2010, the damage was done.
TikTok autism videos go viral. Young adults, especially women, share diagnosis stories. Professionals panic about "self-diagnosis trends." TikTok revealed decades of diagnostic bias, especially against women and People of Colour.
September 5, 2025 at 4:59 PM
TikTok autism videos go viral. Young adults, especially women, share diagnosis stories. Professionals panic about "self-diagnosis trends." TikTok revealed decades of diagnostic bias, especially against women and People of Colour.
Microsoft, SAP launch "autism hiring" programs with great fanfare. Reality: tiny numbers hired, mostly college-educated tech workers. More PR than progress.
September 4, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Microsoft, SAP launch "autism hiring" programs with great fanfare. Reality: tiny numbers hired, mostly college-educated tech workers. More PR than progress.
Sandy Hook shooter misidentified as autistic. Sexual assault defendants claiming autism as excuse. Mass shooters blamed on autism. Meanwhile, autistic people are more likely to be victims than perpetrators.
September 3, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Sandy Hook shooter misidentified as autistic. Sexual assault defendants claiming autism as excuse. Mass shooters blamed on autism. Meanwhile, autistic people are more likely to be victims than perpetrators.
The 2010s created "autism moms" - A result of systems that tell mothers they must "fix" their kids or they're failing. The real problem: no authentic support for autistic people themselves.
September 2, 2025 at 4:40 PM
The 2010s created "autism moms" - A result of systems that tell mothers they must "fix" their kids or they're failing. The real problem: no authentic support for autistic people themselves.
The fundamental question the 2000s raised: Is autism a medical condition that happens to people, or neurological diversity that society accommodates?
Every battle - workplace discrimination, educational exclusion, healthcare access, diagnostic gatekeeping - stems from this unresolved split.
Every battle - workplace discrimination, educational exclusion, healthcare access, diagnostic gatekeeping - stems from this unresolved split.
August 31, 2025 at 8:24 PM
The fundamental question the 2000s raised: Is autism a medical condition that happens to people, or neurological diversity that society accommodates?
Every battle - workplace discrimination, educational exclusion, healthcare access, diagnostic gatekeeping - stems from this unresolved split.
Every battle - workplace discrimination, educational exclusion, healthcare access, diagnostic gatekeeping - stems from this unresolved split.
The world was finally talking about autism, but it felt like they were talking about someone else entirely. Autistic people in awareness campaigns bore little resemblance to the daily reality of sensory accommodations, communication differences, and the exhaustion of constant masking.
August 30, 2025 at 6:54 PM
The world was finally talking about autism, but it felt like they were talking about someone else entirely. Autistic people in awareness campaigns bore little resemblance to the daily reality of sensory accommodations, communication differences, and the exhaustion of constant masking.
December 2007: UN declares World Autism Awareness Day. April 2008: First observance with blue lighting campaigns. Autistic activists respond with red ""Autism Acceptance"" counter-campaigns, promoting infinity symbols over puzzle pieces.
August 29, 2025 at 4:59 PM
December 2007: UN declares World Autism Awareness Day. April 2008: First observance with blue lighting campaigns. Autistic activists respond with red ""Autism Acceptance"" counter-campaigns, promoting infinity symbols over puzzle pieces.
Canada Post employee Michelle Dawson spent years analyzing published ABA research. In Auton v. BC (2004), she intervened against government ABA funding, presenting evidence of methodological flaws and unreported negative effects in behavioural intervention studies.
August 28, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Canada Post employee Michelle Dawson spent years analyzing published ABA research. In Auton v. BC (2004), she intervened against government ABA funding, presenting evidence of methodological flaws and unreported negative effects in behavioural intervention studies.
WrongPlanet grew to tens of thousands of members. Aspies for Freedom organized autism pride events starting 2004. Dozens of LiveJournal communities formed. Autistic people connected directly for the first time, sharing experiences without professional intermediaries.
August 27, 2025 at 4:06 PM
WrongPlanet grew to tens of thousands of members. Aspies for Freedom organized autism pride events starting 2004. Dozens of LiveJournal communities formed. Autistic people connected directly for the first time, sharing experiences without professional intermediaries.
Early Autism Speaks IRS filings show majority of funds went to awareness campaigns and genetic research, with minimal spending on direct services. Meanwhile, around 85% of autistic adults remained unemployed or underemployed with limited support options.
August 26, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Early Autism Speaks IRS filings show majority of funds went to awareness campaigns and genetic research, with minimal spending on direct services. Meanwhile, around 85% of autistic adults remained unemployed or underemployed with limited support options.
2000-2010: When Autism Went Mainstream
This was the decade autism transformed from obscure medical diagnosis to cultural phenomenon. But what most people don't realize is that two completely incompatible versions of autism emerged simultaneously.
And they've been at war ever since.
This was the decade autism transformed from obscure medical diagnosis to cultural phenomenon. But what most people don't realize is that two completely incompatible versions of autism emerged simultaneously.
And they've been at war ever since.
August 25, 2025 at 4:54 PM
2000-2010: When Autism Went Mainstream
This was the decade autism transformed from obscure medical diagnosis to cultural phenomenon. But what most people don't realize is that two completely incompatible versions of autism emerged simultaneously.
And they've been at war ever since.
This was the decade autism transformed from obscure medical diagnosis to cultural phenomenon. But what most people don't realize is that two completely incompatible versions of autism emerged simultaneously.
And they've been at war ever since.
The institutional era created lasting trauma, but also planted seeds of the disability rights movement that transformed western society. The institutional era ended because people demanded something better and fought until they achieved it.
That spirit continues to drive disability rights advocacy.
That spirit continues to drive disability rights advocacy.
August 17, 2025 at 6:42 PM
The institutional era created lasting trauma, but also planted seeds of the disability rights movement that transformed western society. The institutional era ended because people demanded something better and fought until they achieved it.
That spirit continues to drive disability rights advocacy.
That spirit continues to drive disability rights advocacy.
The refrigerator mother theory systematically destroyed family relationships but despite overwhelming professional pressure, many mothers resisted institutionalization and created informal support networks. These underground networks became the foundation for organized parent advocacy,.
August 16, 2025 at 6:54 PM
The refrigerator mother theory systematically destroyed family relationships but despite overwhelming professional pressure, many mothers resisted institutionalization and created informal support networks. These underground networks became the foundation for organized parent advocacy,.
1966 - National Society for Autistic Children (NSAC) parents recognized that voluntary cooperation wasn't going to cut it and they needed legal rights that couldn't be ignored. Their early victories led directly to landmark legal cases establishing constitutional rights for people with disabilities.
August 15, 2025 at 4:59 PM
1966 - National Society for Autistic Children (NSAC) parents recognized that voluntary cooperation wasn't going to cut it and they needed legal rights that couldn't be ignored. Their early victories led directly to landmark legal cases establishing constitutional rights for people with disabilities.
1966-Burton Blatt smuggled a hidden camera inside & captured shocking images of naked, restrained residents in bare rooms. They made statistics into human faces that couldn't be ignored. The public outcry fueled court cases, legislative investigations, and the movement to close institutions forever.
August 14, 2025 at 4:59 PM
1966-Burton Blatt smuggled a hidden camera inside & captured shocking images of naked, restrained residents in bare rooms. They made statistics into human faces that couldn't be ignored. The public outcry fueled court cases, legislative investigations, and the movement to close institutions forever.
While we're at it, why don't we just inject these poor kids with Hepatitis!
Dr. Saul Krugman conducted one of the most unethical medical experiments in American history at Willowbrook. Under the guise of protecting children, Krugman deliberately infected newly admitted residents with hepatitis
Dr. Saul Krugman conducted one of the most unethical medical experiments in American history at Willowbrook. Under the guise of protecting children, Krugman deliberately infected newly admitted residents with hepatitis
August 13, 2025 at 4:07 PM
While we're at it, why don't we just inject these poor kids with Hepatitis!
Dr. Saul Krugman conducted one of the most unethical medical experiments in American history at Willowbrook. Under the guise of protecting children, Krugman deliberately infected newly admitted residents with hepatitis
Dr. Saul Krugman conducted one of the most unethical medical experiments in American history at Willowbrook. Under the guise of protecting children, Krugman deliberately infected newly admitted residents with hepatitis
In 1965, Senator Robert F. Kennedy visited Willowbrook and described residents "living in filth and dirt, their clothing in rags, in rooms less comfortable and cheerful than the cages in which we put animals in a zoo." His words accurately reported life for thousands of people with disabilities.
August 12, 2025 at 4:40 PM
In 1965, Senator Robert F. Kennedy visited Willowbrook and described residents "living in filth and dirt, their clothing in rags, in rooms less comfortable and cheerful than the cages in which we put animals in a zoo." His words accurately reported life for thousands of people with disabilities.
Institutional Era (1950s–1960s)
From the end of WWII through the late 1960s, the US entered what disability historians call the Institutional Era: a period when people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were routinely removed from their homes and placed in large, state-run facilities.
From the end of WWII through the late 1960s, the US entered what disability historians call the Institutional Era: a period when people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were routinely removed from their homes and placed in large, state-run facilities.
August 11, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Institutional Era (1950s–1960s)
From the end of WWII through the late 1960s, the US entered what disability historians call the Institutional Era: a period when people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were routinely removed from their homes and placed in large, state-run facilities.
From the end of WWII through the late 1960s, the US entered what disability historians call the Institutional Era: a period when people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were routinely removed from their homes and placed in large, state-run facilities.
Future Implications - About us, not with us
These early decades established trajectories that would influence autism research and treatment for generations. This period represents both the emergence of autism as a recognized condition and a profound failure to establish ethical, inclusive research.
These early decades established trajectories that would influence autism research and treatment for generations. This period represents both the emergence of autism as a recognized condition and a profound failure to establish ethical, inclusive research.
August 10, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Future Implications - About us, not with us
These early decades established trajectories that would influence autism research and treatment for generations. This period represents both the emergence of autism as a recognized condition and a profound failure to establish ethical, inclusive research.
These early decades established trajectories that would influence autism research and treatment for generations. This period represents both the emergence of autism as a recognized condition and a profound failure to establish ethical, inclusive research.
The Silenced Voices: Autistic People's Absence from Early Research
The early research paradigm established patterns of exclusion that continue to influence autism studies. Research still exclude groups of autistic individuals, perpetuating gaps in understanding.
The early research paradigm established patterns of exclusion that continue to influence autism studies. Research still exclude groups of autistic individuals, perpetuating gaps in understanding.
August 9, 2025 at 6:54 PM
The Silenced Voices: Autistic People's Absence from Early Research
The early research paradigm established patterns of exclusion that continue to influence autism studies. Research still exclude groups of autistic individuals, perpetuating gaps in understanding.
The early research paradigm established patterns of exclusion that continue to influence autism studies. Research still exclude groups of autistic individuals, perpetuating gaps in understanding.
Is there anything more wild than a form of autism being named after the man who sent autistic children to be murdered by Nazis.
In 2018, Herwig Czech revealed the horrifying truth about Hans Asperger and published it in Molecular Autism.
In 2018, Herwig Czech revealed the horrifying truth about Hans Asperger and published it in Molecular Autism.
August 8, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Is there anything more wild than a form of autism being named after the man who sent autistic children to be murdered by Nazis.
In 2018, Herwig Czech revealed the horrifying truth about Hans Asperger and published it in Molecular Autism.
In 2018, Herwig Czech revealed the horrifying truth about Hans Asperger and published it in Molecular Autism.
Leo Kanner got credit for "discovering" autism in 1943 by building (without credit or citing) on a woman's work from 1925. Then he blamed mothers for "causing" it. Medical history: erase the women who made discoveries, blame the women who raise the chidlren.
August 7, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Leo Kanner got credit for "discovering" autism in 1943 by building (without credit or citing) on a woman's work from 1925. Then he blamed mothers for "causing" it. Medical history: erase the women who made discoveries, blame the women who raise the chidlren.