Who doesn't like Tony Attwood?

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Atwood and Baron-Cohen have made money providing advice/therapy to parents and people with ASD. They are merely service providers...

On the matter of his ridiculing people with ASD; it's hardly surprising. All of the speech therapists, psychologists and doctors I've interacted with had little empathy or sympathy with my daughter as other than patients they don't know anybody with ASD. It's also part of their professional training to be objective and keep their clients at a cold distance. With that type of mindset they are never going to "walk a mile in our shoes". Frankly I don't care anymore if they ever do.

Hmmm. You guys have made me think and reconsider my position. It does seem like the guy is promoting himself as an Asperger's "superstar." I have a hard time figuring out other people's intentions (anyone wanna guess why? ), but the more I think about it, Attwood's approach does seem tacky and creepy. So I revise the stuff I've said above. Thanks!

I don't like him.

I read his book, which was possibly the best thing out at the time; but there wasn't much out, so maybe that isn't saying much.

I've been to a couple of his presentations, but would not waste my money again. He was very offensive, hypocritical, and out for the money and fame.He lampooned and mocked.
At a presentation to parents and educators, he made out AS kids as being wonderful. The next day his attitude turned 180 degrees, because he was addressing the mainly female, almost universally disgruntled exes/partners of (possibly) As spouses. He presented a bunch of stereotypes that had little basis in reality.

Not a fan.

Thanks for this thread and the links - I thought it was just me.

i think hes one of the few that do understand also i really like his "ask dr tony" thing on youtube

As far as basic information goes, his book is okay (although he has some bizarre notions about autistic people and those should be ignored). He's not the expert. Lorna Wing, Uta Frith, etc. are more knowledgeable than he is and don't mock autistic people like he does.

I have attended his advanced workshop for professionals on diagnosing autism spectrum conditions. Tony has also responded to one of my emails (which I sent after the workshop) and shared some of the observations his son has made that were similar to my own. It took a week or so for him to respond, my email went through to one of his assistants first. Tony is not on the spectrum, but he has a few family members who are. He has an interesting sense of humour.

You have to understand that even NTs who work with those on the spectrum can be a bit patronising (Autism, is after all, classified as a disorder/disability and I think there is a tendency to view those on the spectrum as lacking in capacity or being similar to 'children'. I do not think that a lot of professionals take a strengths-based approach - where the client is seen as the expert). This is because some of the things we experience/know are outside of their current understanding (some things are too outside the box for a NT), so it comes into conflict with their values (or view of reality). People tend to go into resistance when there is large conflict. They will avoid, shutdown, and dismiss. When they covered women on the spectrum they seemed to make a joke about the women who say they can see auras or sense energy. Some articles term this ability as synesthesia, but I don't believe that present research fully understands this phenomena. Tania Marshall (who also lives in Australia) who has worked with women on the spectrum for the last fifteen years is more open to these abilities. She covers the 'sixth sense' in her blog. These abilities might be more pronounced to those on the spectrum due to their innate sensitivities and makes them more accessible.

I understand that NTs can be many degrees of patronizing up to and including extremely. This does not mean it is acceptable or reasonable or remotely appropriate.