When Asperger's syndrome left the diagnostic manuals with the DSM-5, many adults felt they were losing more than a label. From Argentina, Liga Asperger 7 turned that concern into a proposal, and brought it to the Asperger World Meeting in two consecutive editions.
What Liga Asperger 7 is
Founded on November 15, 2015, Liga Asperger 7 — “the 7” — is an alliance of Asperger adults and leaders linked to the Asociación Asperger Argentina (AsAr). It defines itself as a “beacon of resistance”: it shares personal stories of resilience and claims both the challenges and the strengths of Asperger people. Its public voices are Rodolfo Geloso and Gastón Perile.
2023: “the road to the DSM-6”
At the 2nd Asperger World Meeting, Geloso and Perile raised a debate many professionals prefer to dodge. Their argument:
“It wouldn't change anything for us if the name Asperger were changed. What matters to us is having a dedicated diagnosis, as in the DSM-IV, so the supports each person needs can be put in place.”
They also denounced misdiagnoses due to a lack of professional updating and called for coordinating organizations worldwide to influence the next revision of the manuals.
2024: “Mental health and challenges of adult life”
At the 3rd Meeting, devoted to suicide prevention, Liga 7 brought the perspective of adult life on the spectrum: isolation, the lack of health services designed for autistic adults, and the importance of peer networks.
An organization that keeps going on effort
Like so many community associations, Liga Asperger 7 struggles to fund itself — they keep their own website and server — and asks for help to sustain their work. It is part of the Ibero-American network that accompanies the Meeting every year.
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What is Liga Asperger 7?
It is an alliance of Asperger adults in Argentina founded on November 15, 2015, linked to the Asociación Asperger Argentina (AsAr). It shares stories of resilience and calls for a dedicated diagnosis for the Asperger condition.
Who represents Liga Asperger 7 at the Asperger World Meeting?
Rodolfo Geloso and Gastón Perile, the organization's leaders, who took part in the 2nd Meeting (2023) and the 3rd Meeting (2024), always from a first-person view.
What does Liga Asperger 7 propose about the DSM-6?
To recover a specific diagnosis for the Asperger condition — under that or another name — so people can access the supports they need, something that was diluted when it was merged into the DSM-5 autism spectrum disorder.