So I've changed my mind, or at least reconsidered it, that doesn't happen very often.
Let me give you an example. In my area there was a social group for adults with Aspergers. I say was because after repeated attempts to contact them I can't get a response. They seemed to go inactive over the pandemic but briefly went active over the last year only to go dark again after I noticed. Here's the thing. I only found them by searching 'aspergers <name of area>' in google. And why did I do that? Well because if you search 'autism <name of area>' you are inundated by services for children or adults with sevear learning disabilities. I'm afraid the retirement of this term Aspergers may lead to the erasure of high functioning autism as a focus of intervention. Charities, councils and community projects will say 'what do you mean there is nothing suitable for autistic people here we have tons of activities / outreach for autistic people,' when what they really mean is they have things aimed at low functioning autistic people.
There needs to be a word for high functioning autism. Something that we can take to councils and charities etc and say 'yes but you'r not doing anything about this.' And unfortunately it can't be aspergers. Partly because there are just too many people with a paranoid fear of offending people by using what some call a politically incorrect term. But more because if you say aspergers people are so trained now to think aspergers = autistic that an bureaucratic official will respond by telling you 'oh aspergers is part of our autism work, people with aspergers are free to use these services,' missing the point that these services have not really been designed in a way thats suitable for them.
We need a new term that references it self as being different to standard autism. Something with autism in the name but with something extra added to indicate that you can't equate it with all autism. That it in some way stands apart a needing special treatment. I agree in principle that there is no hard and fast line between low and high functioning autism but in terms of the kinds of services that are needed there is a clear distinction which requires a clear distinction in terminology.
TLDR: we need a quick and easy term to use to point out charities and local authorities are completely failing to address the needs of high functioning autistic adults. Any ideas?
