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Original poster

Simon Baron-Cohen knighted

69 replies

Flappynewyears · 01/01/2021 11:07

Simon Baron-Cohen has been knighted. I am aghast that someone who's promoted the dangerous ideas that people with autism lack empathy, and have "extreme male brains" has been awarded like this. I would be interested to hear others' thoughts on this.

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SuperLoudPoppingAction · 01/01/2021 11:12

My first reaction is ' oh jeez just when his nonsense had begun to have less traction, he gains the ability to style himself as some kind of royally appointed autism guru'

Some papers he has put his name to recently have been a bit more informed by the work of autistic researchers but... yeah the male/female brain stuff is so misguided.

Original poster
Flappynewyears · 01/01/2021 11:23

It really boils my piss!! He seems to be considered the go-to expert on autism (rather than Tony Attwood or others). Now he has been knighted it will be even more so. It's such a regressive theory that he's been pedalling for years now; and it's been thoroughly debunked Envy

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Branleuse · 01/01/2021 11:28

I dont agree with everything he says, but I dont see why he wouldnt be knighted, especially compared to some of the dickheads that are

Original poster
Flappynewyears · 01/01/2021 11:33

I'm not saying I'm surprised he's been knighted or anything, and I agree there are much worse people who've been awarded with honours when they shouldn't have been. But... Because he has been pushing these untrue myths about autistic people for so long now I don't think it's deserved. He literally says that autism is caused by a "male brain". There is no such thing!!! This has contributed to ASD being seen as a men's / boy's condition when it really isn't.

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vivariumvivariumsvivaria · 01/01/2021 11:37

He doesn't seem to be well respected amongst the autistic community, that's for sure.

NeurotreeWenceslas · 01/01/2021 11:49

Yes I was a bit Hmm at this.

Mind you, a talk by Tony Atwood I saw (possibly from a while ago) was also similarly v sexist re girls with asd.

Autism isn't black and white nor a linear spectrum.

PotholeParadies · 01/01/2021 11:52

I would have preferred Tony Attwood or Dr Judith Gould for her work on why it's underdiagnosed in women and girls. Unless she already has one?

Original poster
Flappynewyears · 01/01/2021 11:54

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria

He doesn't seem to be well respected amongst the autistic community, that's for sure.
Yeah, he absolutely is not! Think it would be better if someone more respected from the community had been knighted instead.
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Zinco · 01/01/2021 11:55

I didn't read this properly, and was thinking Sacha Baron Cohen... didn't really agree with the knighthood.

Original poster
Flappynewyears · 01/01/2021 11:56

@NeurotreeWenceslas

Yes I was a bit Hmm at this.

Mind you, a talk by Tony Atwood I saw (possibly from a while ago) was also similarly v sexist re girls with asd.

Autism isn't black and white nor a linear spectrum.

Really disappointed to read this. It was his work in part that made me realise DD has ASD. Assumed he had been coming from it in a "girls with ASD often behave differently to boys with ASD because of sexism imposed upon them from a young age".
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Thingybob · 01/01/2021 11:57

I worked with Autistic/Aspergers children for several years in the early 2000s so have been familiar with SBC and his work since then. I have to say that I've always been a fan and so much of his work rang true for me but I know his approach is not everyones cup of tea. To say something is a myth there needs to be contradictory evidence which I've never seen. Thankyou for highlighting Tony Attwood, I haven't looked too closely at his work before but will now and maybe balance my views a little.

Original poster
Flappynewyears · 01/01/2021 11:59

😂 I did a double-take too, Zinco

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TheQueef · 01/01/2021 12:02

Simon is Sachas cousin.
He was my doctor for a time.

Original poster
Flappynewyears · 01/01/2021 12:16

@TheQueef

Simon is Sachas cousin. He was my doctor for a time.
Thought they were brothers for some reason. Didn't know he had a medical background, I thought he was a neuroscientist.
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TheQueef · 01/01/2021 12:21

I think he's a shrink as well
It was years ago, he gave my official dx and I was used as data for his study.
He isn't at all funny, bit of a let down when you're expecting Ali G.

Brinn · 01/01/2021 12:25

It's random who gets knighted. Best not to worry about it.

But yes, I agree that the whole "male brain" rhetoric is not only offensive but also unhelpful for understanding autism. It's weird that he's popular.

heathspeedwell · 01/01/2021 12:30

The knighthood should definitely have gone to Sacha!

nosswith · 01/01/2021 12:37

Sir Sacha Baron Cohen- for services to Kazakhstan perhaps?

As for Sir Simon, given the misogynist Prime Minister, no surprise someone who refers to 'male brains' would be rewarded.

Original poster
Flappynewyears · 01/01/2021 12:40

@Brinn

It's random who gets knighted. Best not to worry about it.

But yes, I agree that the whole "male brain" rhetoric is not only offensive but also unhelpful for understanding autism. It's weird that he's popular.

I think he's popular because his theory is what a lot of people are thinking, on some level, even if they struggle to articulate it. Girls with ASD are "doing it wrong", they sometimes don't perform feminity in the way society expects them to so they must have a case of the male brains.
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SadlyMissTaken · 01/01/2021 12:43

Cohen's book is a joke. He based some of his research on the most ridiculous leading questions like Do you like fashion magazines and coffee mornings?
. He sees the fact that women like fashion mags more than men as evidence of gendered brains. No consideration of cultural differences/expectations. He concludes the book by saying women are better suited to be nursery nurses and men to be in financial jobs because of their brain differences. Sexist nonsense

SadlyMissTaken · 01/01/2021 12:45

The book is called The Essential Difference.

Original poster
Flappynewyears · 01/01/2021 12:51

@SadlyMissTaken

Cohen's book is a joke. He based some of his research on the most ridiculous leading questions like Do you like fashion magazines and coffee mornings? . He sees the fact that women like fashion mags more than men as evidence of gendered brains. No consideration of cultural differences/expectations. He concludes the book by saying women are better suited to be nursery nurses and men to be in financial jobs because of their brain differences. Sexist nonsense
WOW. I did not know that he was this bad. Sexist tripe! Angry
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PaperScissorsRock · 01/01/2021 12:52

I’ve often wondered how much SBC’s work has contributed to the rise of gender issues in autistic girls. All his male brain crap and sexist diagnostic criteria hasn’t done women and girls any favours at all.

Thingybob · 01/01/2021 12:55

For anyone anti SBC I'd recommend the debate on 'gendered brains' between him and Gina Rippon that can be found on YouTube. It's great to watch as they are both so respectful of each other and surprisingly their views are not that different.

JohnMcClane · 01/01/2021 13:08

I thought this was about Sacha Baron Cohen too!😲 was a bit surprised after the Borat movie!

Don't know enough about his cousin to comment.