Update: CNN refused, on its comment section, my brief criticism of its exclusion from its
"autism is growing up" presentation of severe, low functioning autism.
CNN which loves to portray high functioning autism and Aspergers as autism has done it again with a feature called "Autism Is Growing Up" which ... of course ... features only adult persons with High Functioning Autism and Aspergers. In fact CNN and its accomplice Francesca Happé present 7 full stories of persons with high functioning autism and Aspergers. In addition an 8th adult with Aspergers, Canadian Zoey Roberts, is featured on the opening page of this creative portrayal of Aspergers as autism telling people that "autism is not a tragedy" which of course it isn't if you happen to exist on the very high functioning end of the spectrum, if you are not one of the 50% of persons with autism disorders estimated by the World Health Organization to also suffer from intellectual disability, or if you are not one of the many who suffer from seizures, self injurious behavior, wandering into traffic or ill physical health that many with severe autism suffer from.
CNN has done this wonders of autism stuff before and it is not surprise that it is at it again. In order to lend the presentation credibility though it has brought in a collaborator Francesca Happé whose credentials are well known to anyone familiar with autism research to any extent and which are presented by CNN:
"Editor's note: Francesca Happé is president of the International Society for Autism Research, a professor of cognitive neuroscience, and director of the MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London. Opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author."
For Francesca Happé and CNN autism is no longer just about autistic children it is also about adults ... but only adults with Aspergers and Very High Functioning Autism.
For Happé and CNN the severely autistic who do not live independent lives or have high IQ's or special talents, who live in the care of others, including in institutional care, remain invisible, they remain the unwashed, the unwanted, about whom the public must not know.
For Happé and CNN adult autism is not a disorder ... it is a bouquet of pretty, pink flowers.
