We need to talk about RFK Jr.’s recent comments on autism. He said: “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 a toilet unassisted.”
This is not okay. Some of our coalition members are autistic. Many of us have autistic loved ones. And we can say this kind of language is offensive, outdated, and flat-out wrong.
Autistic people are not broken. They are not burdens. They are artists, athletes, workers, friends, partners, and taxpayers. They live full lives. And yes, they write poems. They go on dates. They contribute to their communities every single day. Autistic people deserve dignity and respect, not pity or dismissal.
To every autistic person who heard those words and felt erased: you matter. You are not a burden. You are a vital part of our communities, our movements, and our future.
We see you. We stand with you. And we will not let this kind of rhetoric go unchallenged.
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