Autism facts

Given recent statements by RFK about Autistic individuals and the suggested creation of a registry for them, I feel the need to say a few things.

Autistic people most certainly can and do have form meaningful attachments and relationships. His suggestion that they will never go on a date is false.

Autistic people are certainly capable of working and contributing meaningfully to society. This is true regardless of their ability to contribute financially and is especially true if their needs are accommodated. His statement that they’ll never pay taxes or hold a job is false.

The use of labels such as high functioning and low functioning are problematic and ableist. Such labels ignore the dynamic nature of functioning, which can vary greatly by situation, stress level and level of support.

Stating that someone is low functioning carries the implication they are somehow lesser than others and can contribute to their desires and needs being ignored or minimized.

Stating that someone is hihg functioning minimizes the very real and debilitating impact of the persons’ masking has on that person’s capacity, such as the fatigue and burnout. It also contributes to minimizing or ignoring the support needs that the person actually has. 

Autism is part of the diversity of neurological functioning. It is not caused by vaccines and studies have repeatedly shown this. Suggesting we need more research on this topic takes away from funding to actually needed topics and perpetuates a unscientific fear of vaccines and once again suggests that having Autism is somehow worse than death.