Private Equity would certainly benefit from it being a personality trait that also happens to "require" medication...

The sources they cite in that article aren't medical professionals. Simger is at least a scientist, but she's a sociologist with an opinion, and Silverman is just a writer with an opinion.

Lots of unqualified people claim lots of things, that doesnt mean you ignore the actual doctors when it comes to medicine and ASD is literally defined as a disorder. You can not be diagnosed with it without some negative impact to your life.

They do also quote a few qualified doctors but the doctors use the word "disability" an awful lot and make no such claims.

Even then, the two folks that do argue for the "social model" of disability are still not arguing that it isnt a disability, they essentially just claim it would be nicer for people if we pretend it isn't - then they go on to to talk about how even among the autistic without learning disabilities the suicide rates are 9 times higher. They cite that as proof that its society making it worse, I see it as proof that autism isn't freaking good for you any more than depression is. Humans are social animals and social diseases are still diseases. More to the point, some of us wear helmets and spend 12 hours a day in a ball rocking back and forth. Thats not "societies problem".

The whole thing reminds me of when I was diagnosed and my neuropsych asked me if I wanted it to be included in my file. He explained that many/most of his very high functioning clients preferred it not be in their medical record, as they didn't want the stigma.

I honestly think we are still under-reporting the numbers for the high functioning, and its largely because some people are too scared to accept who/what they are. IMO those people need to face reality, not ask society to play pretend. The actual name of the diagnosis includes the word "disorder" and you literally cant have autism if you dont have problems.

Pretending that you are fine and it s just a personality trait is counterproductive, but if it helps you sleep at night go for it, I guess. Just be careful. Pretending like all your problems are societies fault won't actually change who you are or reduce your symptoms.