Autism Gone Too Far
Today I listened to this video of the neurobiologist Gina Rippon talking about Autism. You can listen to the interview on Facebook here . My response to Rippon's claims here is that her argument is incoherent. Yes there seems to be a gender bias inbuilt here, but not in the way she is suggesting. First, it is artificial: the bias was towards boys, now the bias is towards girls and women. What previously you thought was normal in girls you now label autistic eg passionate about something eg animals, quiet and shy, perfectionist, cute. But how are you helping girls if you now consider their previously considered 'normal', neurotypical behaviours as suddenly a sign of neurological abnormality ie autistic? Has there always been a gender bias which means feminine or effeminate behaviours are seen as more abnormal? Hence, when a boy was passionate about animals he was seen as autistic. If the boy was less outgoing he was labelled autistic. Too emotional? Then the boy was seen a...