there's new legislation in the UK about addressing disabilites, and all institutions are jumping to try and sort out their shit pdq.
at the university i work at, there's a new group been set up, to address these issues, and one of the things i'm making sure is highlighted (along with some others) is the issue of "invisible" disabilities, including depression and AS, etc. so, when they're bagining on about access, and wheelchair ramps, i talk about sensory issues and physical environment, etc., and have already offered training and my own expertise for both the academic and the pastoral side of things.
i agree with happeh that the meidcal profession is rather trigger happy with diagnoses, certainly in the US, and even more so with prescription drugs (and it's creeping in over here), but there's a difference between diagnosing Breathing In and Out Syndrome, and actually highlighting something which is causing major grief in someone's life. i'm quite happy to be diagnosed/labelled if it means my life is made easier, having suffered 40 odd years of
not being either.
i also think that AS seems more prevalent because social mores and interaction have become less limited - when i was a kid, if you met someone, you said "how do you do", and they replied saying the same. no worries about what to say - the rules were far clearer. i'm not saying that we should go back to the "in your place" state of serfdom, etc., but having those very formal, very clear social interactions made life a lot easier, as far as i can see. "here's a set of social rules: learn 'em, and get on with it". much easier than trying to work out what the fuck to say when.
urgh - have to go t work soon, so curtailed version of what i could say...