book publisher stands up to neurodiversity bullies

The neurodiversity movement is well-known for their hardball tactics.  The latest item in their metaphorical Felix the Cat bag of dirty tricks is to harass parents who write and publish books that  depict autism in what they feel is a less than flattering light.  They also contact publishers of the books urging  the book be recalled and possibly threaten the publishers with legal action. 

They recently did this with Judith Newman's "To Siri with Love" when the author expressed the idea she might want to obtain a conservatorship of her son, so she could have him undergo a vasectomy because she did not feel he could be a good father to children.  People wrote to her publisher protesting the book, she received abuse and fuck yous on twitter and she alleges she even received a death threat.  A few ND's even started a petition to have her son taken away from her, but then backed down.  

There's a new book slated for publication "Autism Uncensored" by author Whitney Ellenby who depicts the angst of raising a severely autistic child.  Several ND's apparently wrote John Koehler, the publisher, urging him not to publish the book, apparently they also threatened him with some sort of legal action, but the details are unclear.  He has responded to the ND bullies.


I was every bit as offended by Steve Silberman and "Neurotribes" as these people are about Ms. Ellenby and "autism uncensored", but I did not threaten Silberman.  I did not write to his publisher urging them not to publish or recall the book.  I read the book cover to cover before judging it and then giving it the one star review it deserved on Amazon.

The ND's have taken umbrage to Koehler's statement that their actions make them appear less than intelligent and Silberman (him again) has been a provocateur on twitter, trying to incite the ND's, and we're sure to see fireworks:

What on God's earth? This is an official statement from a publisher? Oy gevalt! https://t.co/MdEoec1aFq pic.twitter.com/pbitO9HAcB

— Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) March 13, 2018

Gadfly commends Mr. Koehler for his decision not to back down and to respond to the ND bullies the way he did.