Autism community members express concern over perceived damaging and antiquated views about their identity by RFK Jr.
Tossin' Words, Not Shade:
Alison Singer isn't here for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nonsense. With her brother and daughter living with autism, Singer's feeling the heat of RFK Jr.'s inflammatory statements about the community. Kennedy, now the Health and Human Services secretary, recently remarked that autism is an "individual tragedy" and "catastrophic for our country." Yikes!
Singer's daughter and brother are rather remarkable individuals, running their own farm and delivering meals on wheels, respectively. Apparently, Kennedy doesn't see that. He's depicted them as people whose lives hold no value—a statement that couldn't be further from the truth.
At his first news conference as head of HHS, Kennedy claimed that the rising rate of autism in the States is a major issue. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) backs it up: Autism rates in 8-year-olds shot up from 1 in 36 in 2020 to 1 in 31 in 2022. But Kennedy's not cool with the explanation that better understanding and screening are behind this trend. Instead, he asserted that autism is "preventable" and that it forms part of a "chronic disease epidemic" that "destroys" families and children. Dramatic much?
People with autism, their families, and supporters quickly slammed Kennedy's comments. Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine, published a social media post about his adult daughter with autism who holds down a job, pays taxes, and enjoys a fulfilling life. He put the HHS in check for losing all of its "humanity, compassion, and intellectual curiosity."
Advocates and researchers alike say that Kennedy's interpretation of autism—the science and the experience—is downright narrow and harmful. Zoe Gross, director of advocacy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, thinks it sets the US back decades, to a time filled with ill-informed stigma that the community has fought hard to change. Kennedy's narrow-minded perspective sets up a litmus test for what constitutes a valuable life, and Gross, who's autistic herself, is not having it.
"It's not acceptable to talk that way anymore because of the work that we've done," Gross said. What's more, she added, Kennedy's emphasis on environmental toxins as the root of autism is problematic, as it questions science that's already shown that vaccines do not cause autism.
Aspiritech, a tech company with a team primarily consisting of people on the autism spectrum, jumped into the fray, offering to introduce Kennedy to employees who disprove the narrow vision he's putting forward. These workers, Aspiritech touted, directly contradict Kennedy's picture of autism, as they've proven themselves tax-paying, productive, and value-added members of society.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by challenges with communication skills and social interactions. The abilities of people with ASD can vary significantly, as they may behave, communicate, interact, and learn differently from most others. Dr. Lisa Settles, director of Tulane University's Center for Autism and Related Disorders, has devoted more than 20 years to autism research and has worked with thousands of patients. According to Settles, none of her patients have been exactly alike, but all have value.
"To me, it's very obvious that [Kennedy] doesn't know a lot about the diagnosis," Settles said. "He's pulling things together into a theory that isn't based on any ounce of science, and it's really frustrating to those of us who are professionals."
Kennedy later took to Fox News to "set the record straight." He clarified that he was specifically talking about the 1 in 4 people with autism who have "severe autism." A CDC report from 2023 shows that about 27% of 8-year-olds with autism were considered to have "profound autism," defined as children who were nonverbal, minimally verbal, or had an intelligence quotient (IQ) less than 50. The discrepancy between Kennedy's claims and the CDC data may indicate that he's using outdated information to perpetuate his flawed views. Advocates emphasize that even if most people with autism can do the things Kennedy said they can't, those who may need more support deserve more respect.
"If someone can't do any of those things because of their disability, it doesn't mean they can't have a good life," Gross said. "They deserve better than being a rhetorical prop."
- Alison Singer, whose brother and daughter have autism, criticized Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s comment that autism is an individual tragedy and catastrophic for the country.
- In 2025, as the Health and Human Services secretary, Kennedy asserted that autism is preventable and forms part of a chronic disease epidemic that destroys families and children, sparking criticism from the autism community.
3.Zoe Gross, director of advocacy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, believes that Kennedy's interpretation of autism, particularly his emphasis on environmental toxins as the root cause, is narrow-minded and harmful.
- Dr. Lisa Settles, director of Tulane University's Center for Autism and Related Disorders, expressed frustration with Kennedy's lack of understanding about autism, stating that his theories about the condition are not based on any science.
