152. Asperger

The Allusionist

Helen Zaltzman

Arts, Education, Words, Linguistics, History, Entertainment, Helen Zaltzman, Etymology, Society & Culture

4.7 • 3.8K Ratings

🗓️ 3 April 2022

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Hans Asperger would have been merely "a footnote in the history of autism", so why did he get to be the eponym in Asperger's syndrome? Because along with the usual problems medical eponyms pose, and his work not really earning him the honour, he collaborated with Nazis and sent children to a hospital where they would be experimented on and even killed.

Activist, writer and academic Morénike Giwa Onaiwu discusses the stigma around terms like Asperger’s syndrome and autism, and historian Edith Sheffer talks about Hans Asperger and child psychiatry in Nazi Vienna.

Content notes: Nazis, eugenics, ableism, child abuse, murder.

There are two versions of this episode. The content is the same, but this version contains background music; if you would prefer one with no music, you can get it right next to where you obtained this one.

Find out more information about the topics in this episode at theallusionist.org/asperger, plus a transcript and the full dictionary entry for the randomly selected word.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This is the illusionist in which I, Helen Salzman, substitute language with aquafarber.
0:10.0	This episode is about some of the reasons why there's been a move away from using the term
0:14.5	Asperger's syndrome.
0:16.2	We've talked before on the show about medical epilharms and how they can be problems because
0:21.2	while a lot of reasons they don't tell you anything about the condition with the name
0:24.3	on, which can make it harder for medical practitioners to remember information about it
0:28.6	and is less understandable and often therefore more stressful for people being diagnosed
0:33.8	with it.
0:34.8	Geppinim's are sometimes not helping communication, but there's a whole lot more going on with
0:39.8	Asperger's syndrome as a term.
0:41.5	Thus I must issue several content notes, Nazis, eugenics, ableism, child abuse, murder.
0:49.1	There is some very grim stuff this episode, you know, take what you know about Nazis and
0:53.6	ableism and consider how bad that can get combined.
0:57.1	There are two versions of this episode.
0:59.0	The content is the same, but you're listening to a version of this episode with background
1:03.2	music.
1:04.2	If you would prefer one with no background music, you can get it right next to where you
1:08.2	obtained this version.
1:10.0	There is also a transcript at theillusionist.org slash transcripts slash Asperger.
1:15.5	On with the show.
1:24.5	So how do you feel about the term autism spectrum disorder?
1:28.9	I hate it.
	...

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