In a recent interview, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made deeply troubling remarks about autistic individuals, suggesting they “will never work, they will never pay taxes, and they will never serve in the military or contribute to society.”

As a therapist, advocate, and parent of neurodivergent adults, I want to speak directly to this: these statements are not only inaccurate, they’re harmful.

Autistic People Work, Contribute, and Thrive

Many autistic individuals do work, pay taxes, and meaningfully contribute to their families, communities, and professions. Others may require higher levels of support, but that does not negate their value or humanity. Contribution isn’t measured only by economic output.

Every autistic person is worthy of dignity, care, and respect, regardless of their support needs.

The Danger of Stigma

Comments like Kennedy’s reinforce a narrative that autistic individuals are burdens. This stigma can prevent people from seeking a diagnosis, create shame in families, and fuel systemic discrimination.

The truth is, autism exists on a spectrum. Some individuals are non-speaking or require full-time care. Others are lawyers, teachers, engineers, or artists. Many, like my own children, are navigating the world in ways that challenge our assumptions, and that deserves curiosity, not condemnation.

From Fear to Understanding

RFK Jr.’s comments reflect fear and ableism, not fact. What the autistic community needs isn’t pity or panic. It’s support, inclusion, and representation. If you’re uncomfortable with the idea that more people are being diagnosed as autistic, I encourage you to ask yourself: why?

We don’t need to fix autistic people. We need to fix systems that fail to accommodate diverse ways of being.

Autistic people are not broken. They are not a tragedy. The real tragedy is a society that continues to treat them as less.

Let’s do better.