torrid said:
I think the term autism gets painted with a broad brush. You have people like Rainman who are so withdrawn into their own world they cannot care for themselves. Then you have people that could be described as different, quirky or weird. They can still function in society and lead productive lives. I think there is a distinction that needs to be made.
There is. It's called the autism spectrum. Strangely, though, we're now seeing that the spectum, which was once used to estimate severety or degree (ie.verbal vs. nonverbal), is undergoing a transformation as well. The autism "wheel" was recently introduced that is more complex, but may be in ways more simplified to eliminate the concept of severity in favor of a "customized" color coded outcome based on a variety of factors.
To be honest, I have no idea where something like asperger's syndrome fits on the new "wheel".
In summary, I think your broad brush comment has merit. Virtually everyone could claim a spot or two on the new wheel. And voila! Virtually everyone can claim to be autistic in some form. Consequently, it's natural to see where autism could become a tasty target for the pride movement.