“ASD is a sloth, ADHD is a monkey”: New Book by Japanese Counselor Classifying Autistic People as Animals Sparks Controversy [Podcast Episode]

By Barrier Free Japan

April 21 2025

TOKYO – A new book by the counselor Yuko Kanda, that categorizes people suffering from conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, depression, and trauma disorders as animals — and portrays them as “troublesome people in the workplace” — is drawing strong backlash for promoting discriminatory views. The book claims to be packed with “techniques for winning without fighting.”

Episode Notes:

‘ “ASD is a sloth, ADHD is a monkey, trauma disorder is a sheep” New Book by Japanese Counselor Classifying Neurodivergent People as Animals Sparks Controversy’:

“ASD is a sloth, ADHD is a monkey, trauma disorder is a sheep” New Book by Japanese Counselor Classifying Neurodivergent People as Animals Sparks Controversy