Dear RFK Jr.,
I recently heard your comments on autistic people and all the things you don’t think we can do. As a young autistic woman, I have a few issues with your statement, to say the least.
You said that “They’ll never write a poem.” I myself have been writing poems for at least seven years. Of course, they were amateurish when I started out, but through practice, reading and a poetry class, I managed to get one published late last year. Here’s the link to it, if you care to read.
A poem by an autistic student…
And I’m not the only autistic poet out there.
Writers like Adam Wolfond, Traci Neal, and David Miedzianik use their autism to inform their poetry, creating beautiful and memorable lines in the process. Our unique brains can pick up on details and connections that most people miss, such as how certain fabrics feel on our skin.
In addition, our shared experiences of being misunderstood and excluded make us turn to art to express ourselves, with poems being one such medium. And there’s evidence to suggest that famous poets like Emily Dickinson were autistic, too.
I know most people have misconceptions about autistic people, but I expected the Secretary of Health and Human Services to know more about the neurodiverse community. Rather than judging our abilities based on how our brains operate, take the time to read something by an autistic person. I promise you, your outlook will be completely changed.
Velocity 
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