Climate activist Greta Thunberg inspires others on autism spectrum
In her address at a United Nations climate summit earlier this week, 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg said she should be back in Sweden attending school instead of chastising world leaders for their inaction on climate change.
Amanda McCarthy of Acton, Massachusetts, thinks back to when she was that age and can barely contain her amazement. That’s a common reaction to watching such a precocious teenager on the world stage, but McCarthy shares a trait with Thunberg that paints a fuller picture.
They both have Asperger’s, a neurological disorder characterized by difficulty with social and communication skills. It’s considered within the range of the autism spectrum, although those with Asperger’s typically have normal language development and normal-to-high IQs, so they’re regarded as “high functioning.’’
McCarthy, now a college graduate at 24, said she was ashamed of who she was at 16 and worried about what people would think of her.
In Thunberg, who has helped organize global climate strikes – the next ones are Friday, when she plans to protest in Montreal – McCarthy and others see a role model.
“I felt really empowered by Greta Thunberg because being on the spectrum I know a lot about not being taken seriously,’’ McCarthy said.
“Now that Greta Thunberg has come forward and made such an important statement while at the same time being open about being on the spectrum, I really feel like that’s inspiring.’’
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/autism/climate-activist-greta-thunberg-inspires-others-on-autism-spectrum/ar-AAHVQgu?li=BBUPk4T
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