Autism History

To better grasp autistic culture and politics, one must understand the history that brought autistics to this point. Autistic culture is complex, passionate, and punctuated by beliefs that both polarize and unite the autism community. These beliefs often represent contrasting motivations, such as a parent’s desperation to rescue their child at almost any cost, an overarching value for unity and resilience, and a nothing about us without us expectation for autistic representation in all things autism-related. These intense and sometimes paradoxical perspectives are deeply rooted in the historical accounts of autism’s origin and evolution. See my blog posts for a partial history specifying key leaders and resources that shaped the field of autism research, treatment, and support.