Starting in the 1980’s a lot of the “weird kids” started getting diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, a mild form of autism. Then in 2013, the diagnoses ended, when The Powers That Be decided that since Aspergers was just a form of autism, there didn’t need to be a distinction, and thus “Aspies” were now “on the autism spectrum.” Which, seeing as how people are still talking about Aspergers and a lot of Aspies still proudly self-describe as such, doesn’t seem to have been an entirely successful rebranding campaign.

But wait! There’s more!

Asperger’s advocates face branding crisis after revelation of namesake’s Nazi ties

Turns out that during WWII, Hans Asperger, while not a Nazi, was involved with the Nazi program of killing children who were severely disabled.

Whoopsie.

Asperger seemed to think that people with the “syndrome” which was to bear his name were not “subhuman” or “life unworthy of life” or what-the-hell-ever designation used by the Nazis to kill the mentally disabled. He seemed to think that these kids  – due to their occasional savant abilities – might in fact be *superior.* But putting down the mentally retarded? Yeah, not a good look.

So now that these little biographical tidbits are starting to come out, there is a movement rising to strip the Asperger name from Aspergers. Well… one of the major features of Aspies is a death grip on constancy, a severe dislike for change. And changing the name of the *thing* that gives many of these people their sense of identity, that finally explained why they never seemed to fit in, why they were different, and for many gives them a sense of pride? Yeah, good luck with that.