Many in autism community say Health Secretary RFK Jr. doesn’t understand their needs

Many people with autism say Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is perpetuating harmful stereotypes in his decades-long campaign against vaccines.

In just two months on the job, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has raised the profile of autism more than any recent public official.

Autism advocacy groups typically welcome more attention to their cause. But many autistic people say Kennedy is exploiting their community — and perpetuating harmful stereotypes — as part of his decadeslong campaign against vaccines, even as the Trump administration threatens to eliminate services that help people with autism reach their full potential.

At an April press conference on autism rates among school-age kids, Kennedy described autism as an epidemic and a “tragedy” that “destroys families.”

“These are kids who will never pay taxes, they’ll never hold a job, they’ll never play baseball, they’ll never write a poem, they’ll never go out on a date. Many of them will never use the toilet unassisted,” Kennedy said. 

In response, 15 advocacy groups issued a joint statement calling for autistic people to be treated with respect and support. The groups said they are “deeply concerned by growing public rhetoric and policy decisions” that fail to “reflect the inherent value, rights and diverse needs of autistic people.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/autism-community-needs-rfkjr-stigma-funding-rcna203578

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