Letters to My Weird Sisters: On Autism, Feminism and Motherhood

Autism and feminism, in the form of letters to Virginia Woolf, Adelheid Bloch, Frau V and Katharina Kepler. Bloch was “a German Jewish woman who had learning disabilities following a bout of childhood meningitis,” killed because of her disabilities (Limburg notes that Woolf, an anti-Semite and eugenicist, would not have thought her worthy of life). Frau V was the mother of one of Asperger’s patients, whose own characteristics as reported by Asperger are suggestive of autism. Katharina Kepler was Johannes Kepler’s mother; he defended her in a witch trial. “Katharina had an unfortunate habit of rubbing people up the wrong way. She did this by being assertive, forthright and persistent, by preferring rational argument to tears, show more and by refusing to bestow sympathy on someone just because they asked for it.” Without diagnosing them, Limburg writes about their weirdness as a way of understanding autism and women. Eloquent about humilitation, eugenics, motherhood, and other topics. A key note: “Weirdness is not the same as conscious rebellion or resistance, though it may come to inform it.” show less

This book was wonderful. Joanne writes about autism and femininity with great care and a deep understanding. She weaves together different literature on the subject and brings forward the history and it’s intersections with both areas of study (disability and feminism). A must read and a new favorite of mine.