Cassandra Isn’t Doing the Robot: On Risky Rhetorics and Contagious Autism

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Yergeau, M. (2020). Cassandra Isn’t Doing the Robot: On Risky Rhetorics and Contagious Autism. Rhetoric Society Quarterly, 50(3), 212-221. https://doi.org/10.1080/02773945.2020.1752132

Publication date: 26 May 2020 Added to AutiHub: 9 Aug 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Melanie Yergeau *

Abstract

Cassandra Affective Deprivation Disorder (CADD) is a trauma-based folk disorder embraced by neurotypical NT advocacy groups. CADD is caused, such groups claim, by having a romantic relationship with an autistic person. Reliant on understandings of autism as a condition of extreme maleness, CADD draws on cis/hetero/normative rhetorics of risk that attend autism’s figuration as a disorder of invisible and emotional disrepair, where (not) doing autistics is tantamount to becoming them. In this essay, I examine how CADD proponents exalt divisions between logic and emotion in their appeals to ableist, anti-queer understandings of autistic emotion, communication, and interrelation.

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Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:31.

Cited references
48
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
2 / 48 (4.2%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
2 / 72 (2.8%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 2 / 6 (33.3%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 2 / 68 (2.9%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
6 / 72 (8.3%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 5 / 68 (7.4%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
4 / 6 (66.7%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 4 / 72 (5.6%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 3 / 5 (60.0%).
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