To the Editor:
Re “Autistic People Point to Full Lives as Rebuttal to Kennedy’s Dire Claim” (news article, April 19):
I am part of the autistic population that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, claims “destroys” children and families.
When I was growing up, my parents were terrified that I would seriously hurt them or myself. I slammed my head into walls, spit and ran away. My dysregulation, medical needs and inability to effectively communicate led to many interactions with law enforcement and hospital workers. My family was told they needed to send me away.
Someone from the outside might say I was “destroying” our family. This talk isn’t new; autistic people like me are frequently made to think we are burdens.
But Mr. Kennedy has a platform and power. His words matter. Those of us who have been diagnosed as “severe” or “profound” can in fact live and thrive. We must focus on maintaining and building the resources, services and tools that enable us to live full lives. When leaders disparage us and invest in dubious research, it diverts attention away from our humanity and the things we need.
Mr. Kennedy has an opportunity and the responsibility to make a positive impact rather than stirring a bleak narrative about our lives.
Jordyn Zimmerman
Hudson, Ohio
The writer is nonspeaking autistic and is the chair of the board of directors of CommunicationFIRST, a civil rights organization that serves people who need support to communicate.
To the Editor:
I was oddly shocked, though not surprised, by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s comments on autism. What a way to mark Autism Acceptance Month!
As a psychologist trained in autism assessment and diagnosis, I expect more from a U.S. health secretary. In my role, I’ve spoken with many parents of autistic children about how to support and nurture hope for their child’s future. Comments like Mr. Kennedy’s promote fear and further stigmatize autism.
Ongoing legitimate scientific efforts will help us better understand autism and the factors involved. This knowledge is essential for families — so they can truly understand their child and access the support needed to help them thrive.
Erlanger Turner
Los Angeles
The writer is a clinical psychologist and a former president of the Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice.
To the Editor:
Roughly one-quarter of all autism diagnoses are “profound” — meaning that it is likely that the child will need lifelong care or support. The other three-quarters include all sorts of able human beings.
I have a brilliant stepson and biological daughter, both of whom are “on the spectrum.” The boy is currently preparing for college and is excited about his first summer job. My daughter, a college graduate, has worked for Microsoft and Google.
Our family and the world have been enriched by the lives of our children, not destroyed.
James R. Brown
St. Simons Island, Ga.
To the Editor:
I was diagnosed with autism in 2022, when I was 33, and phrases like “all brains are different” gained hopeful acceptance. But growing up, I was constantly terrified, desperate to hide what I apprehended was wrong with me. My first memory at age 4 is of hiding my behavior: rocking and self-biting.
I was able to “mask,” getting by as an overly sensitive kid, a “little professor” who wrote her first philosophy at age 10. In my teens, the immense effort of masking destroyed my health, resulting in violent meltdowns and chronic pain and illness, which plagued me into adulthood.
My adult diagnosis enabled me to finally understand my challenges. I have become the most “functional” (to use the ableist term favored by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.) I’ve ever been. I am a published writer and educator. My therapist recently observed how much healthier and more confident I’ve become since. Yes, I still struggle. But embracing my needs is what saved me.
Mr. Kennedy is wrong. Autism doesn’t need a cure. Society does. Instead of seeing us as problems, society must embrace and support autistic people.
Sarah Jane Cody
Westhampton, Mass.
The writer is the author of “Bathrobe Gal,” a webcomic about her life as an autistic woman.
To the Editor:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, an agency whose stated duty is to “enhance the health and well-being of all Americans,” is now using his power to demean and dehumanize autistic people. Think about that.
Autism is not a disease. My child is not a tragedy. My family has not been destroyed by autism. Using the language of eradication to describe a population of people is not only hurtful; it is also dangerous. We have been here before in our history.
Mr. Kennedy is not fit for the job he was handed. He does not care about people with autism. He does not care about my child or our family.
Jenny Price Smith
Verona, Wis.
To the Editor:
As a neuroscientist and father to a remarkable autistic daughter, I strongly reject Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claim that rising autism rates represent a preventable epidemic.
The increase in autism diagnoses reflects better awareness, broader criteria and greater equity for marginalized groups — not a crisis. Mr. Kennedy’s language revives harmful myths about vaccines and “toxins,” stigmatizing families and distracting from what really matters: support and inclusion.
Autism doesn’t need to be “cured” or “prevented” — autistic people need accommodations, access to health care and opportunities to thrive. My daughter, like millions of others, benefits from assistive technologies and acceptance, not fearmongering. Mr. Kennedy’s approach, including hiring discredited researchers, risks wasting resources and fueling discrimination.
Instead of chasing imaginary causes, we must invest in therapies, education and community supports, guided by autistic voices.
Difference isn’t a defect — it’s a source of strength, innovation and empathy. That’s the future my daughter and all autistic people deserve.
David Ruttenberg
Boca Raton, Fla.
Trump vs. Universities
To the Editor:
Re “In Boston, Land of Colleges, a Funding Attack Strikes at Its Core” (front page, April 7):
President Trump’s wrecking ball administration threatens all aspects of our democratic government. With the power of the purse, he extends his dictatorial demands over education, and particularly institutions of higher learning.
However difficult it will be to stand firm against Mr. Trump’s demands, college and university administrators should not succumb. Those with sufficient endowments should use those funds to save programs Mr. Trump would decimate. And Harvard has set a courageous example.
Regardless of endowments, all administrators should begin vast fund-raising efforts from every student, past and even present, and the parents/guardians of those students.
Many donations will be large, but even those that will be small will add up to significant replacement funding.
As a parent of four college graduates, I trusted their schools to impart a quality education to them — not an education dictated by the likes of Mr. Trump. I am ready to write four checks right now, and I am sure they are as well.
Carol Harrington
Yorktown Heights, N.Y.
To the Editor:
Re “Some Donors Want Harvard to Back Down” (front page, April 23):
I consider any university, law firm, news media company, public school system or other organization that has resisted the Trump administration’s threats to impose its values on them to be heroes defending not just their own institutions but also democracy for all of us. And those organizations that have caved to inappropriate demands are not.
To the Editor:
Re “Rubio Eyes Big Cuts at State Dept., Affecting Workers in U.S. and Abroad” (news article, April 23):
I am an immigrant whose parents were lucky enough to come from Eastern Europe to the United States six decades ago. To them and to so many of their compatriots, the U.S. was the promised land.
I am an old citizen now — I have had the privilege of being an American for many years — but I am deeply depressed and anxious about the direction that our present government is bent on.
For so long, we have been a beacon of reason, generosity and hope. The hallmarks of our democracy are being undermined every day by this administration. I can only hope that enough lawmakers will come to their senses and return us to the country that we used to be.
Emanuel Ax
New York
The writer is the classical pianist.
