If you’ve been scrolling through news feeds lately, you’ve probably seen the name Robert F. Kennedy Jr. linked to some pretty intense headlines about the autism community. It’s one of those topics where everyone seems to have an opinion, but the actual facts get buried under political noise. Honestly, it’s a lot to untangle.
What did RFK Jr. actually say about autistic people?
Basically, it’s not just one quote. It’s a series of statements that have evolved from his time as an environmental lawyer to his more recent role as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. His views are complicated, often controversial, and have left a lot of people in the neurodiversity community feeling—well, less than seen.
The Viral Quote: "Never Write a Poem"
Let’s start with the big one. In April 2025, during a high-profile press conference following a CDC report on autism prevalence, Kennedy made a series of comments that immediately went viral for all the wrong reasons. He described the lives of many autistic individuals in a way that felt, to many, incredibly bleak.
He said these kids would "never pay taxes," "never hold a job," and "never play baseball." He didn’t stop there. He went on to say they’d never write a poem or even go out on a date. He even mentioned that many would "never use a toilet unassisted."
For families who live with the daily reality of a high-support-needs diagnosis, some felt he was acknowledging their struggle. But for a massive portion of the autistic community, these words felt like a punch in the gut. They saw it as a total erasure of the millions of autistic adults who do work, write, marry, and live independent lives. It painted the entire spectrum with a very dark, very limited brush.
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The "Epidemic" and "Environmental Toxins"
Kennedy doesn't view autism the way most modern doctors do. To him, it’s not just a different way of the brain working. He calls it an "epidemic" and an "individual tragedy." During that same 2025 briefing, he warned that the rising rates of diagnosis—most recently 1 in 31 children—were "alarming." He’s convinced that this isn't just about better screening or more awareness. While researchers like Dr. Catherine Lord at UCLA point out that teachers and doctors are just much better at spotting social communication delays now, RFK Jr. leans heavily into the idea of "environmental toxins."
He promised a massive research effort to find the "cause" by September 2025.
It’s a bold claim.
Real science usually moves at a snail's pace, so promising a "fix" or an "answer" in a few months raised a lot of eyebrows in the scientific community.
The Vaccine Connection
You can’t talk about RFK Jr. and autism without talking about vaccines. It’s the elephant in the room. Despite years of global studies showing no link between routine childhood shots and autism, Kennedy has remained a skeptic.
- He often refers to kids being "fully functional" and then "regressing" after exposure to something.
- He hired David Geier, a figure well-known in the "vaccine cynic" world, to lead federal studies.
- He frequently mentions "mercury" or "thimerosal," even though that has been removed from almost all childhood vaccines for decades.
The CDC and organizations like Autism Speaks have been very clear: the science just isn't there. But Kennedy insists we need to "follow the science, no matter what it says," often implying that the current science is somehow rigged or incomplete.
What the Autistic Community Is Saying
If you ask the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), they’ll tell you that Kennedy's language is dangerous. They’ve labeled his views "ableist" and even "eugenicist." Why? Because they feel his focus is entirely on "preventing" or "curing" autistic people rather than supporting them.
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The vibe from self-advocates is pretty clear: they don't want to be "fixed." They want:
- Better access to Medicaid and home-care services.
- Inclusive workplaces.
- Support in schools.
- To be treated as human beings with value, regardless of whether they "pay taxes" or "play baseball."
Senator Maggie Hassan, who has a son with a disability, was particularly vocal about this. She argued that Kennedy’s portrayal was "stigmatizing and dehumanizing," noting that many autistic people have unique gifts that the Secretary's "tragedy" narrative completely ignores.
The September Deadline and the "Registry"
One of the more recent developments is Kennedy's push for an autism registry. He says it’s for data and research—to track exposures and outcomes. Critics, however, are terrified. They worry a national list of autistic people could be used for discrimination or forced medical "treatments" that haven't been proven safe, like chelation therapy.
Kennedy claims the registry will be voluntary and anonymous. But given his history of distrusting mainstream medical institutions, the community is skeptical.
It's Not All One-Sided
To be fair, some parents of children with "profound autism" (a term for those who are nonverbal or have very high support needs) feel like RFK Jr. is the only one talking about how hard their lives are. They feel forgotten by the "neurodiversity is a superpower" movement. To them, the "tragedy" language resonates because their daily life involves intense, 24/7 care and they worry about what happens when they’re gone.
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Kennedy plays into this. He positions himself as the guy who is willing to say the "uncomfortable truth" that others are too "PC" to mention.
What should you actually do with all this?
If you're trying to make sense of the headlines or you're worried about how these policies might affect your family, here is the best way to move forward:
- Look at the Lived Experience: Don't just read political quotes. Follow autistic creators and advocates who talk about their actual lives. They provide the nuance that a 30-second soundbite can't.
- Verify the Science: If you hear a claim about "toxins" or "cures," check it against reputable sources like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the Autism Society of America.
- Focus on Support: Whether or not a "cause" is found, the immediate need for most families is service and funding. Keep an eye on proposed cuts to Medicaid or special education funding, as these affect the day-to-day lives of autistic people far more than a research paper.
- Advocate for Nuance: Recognize that the "autism spectrum" is just that—a spectrum. It includes people who are CEOs and people who need help eating. Any leader who only talks about one end of that spectrum is missing the full picture.
Start by looking into local neuro-inclusive organizations that focus on "support, not cure" to see how you can get involved in your own community.