https://github.com/trentm/python-markdown2/issues/38

has been closed with this PR:

  https://github.com/trentm/python-markdown2/pull/522

It adds an extras=['middle-word-em'] setting that has to be disabled:

  extras=['middle-word-em'= False]

So adding extras = {'fenced-code-blocks': {}, 'nofollow': None, 'middle-word-em': False}

to disable the middle work emphasis to make 'self.this_long_attr' display with the
underscores and without emphasis.

This will only work in the upcomming 2.4.10 release. I will commit code that
adapts Roundup to different versions of markdown2 shortly.

Once that is committed PTC to add this for 2.4.10 welcome. I don't think a new [markdown]
option needs to be added to config.ini to enable/disable this option. I thin enabiling
it in all cases to make it operate like other cited markdown formatters is fine.