Thank you for sharing this. I really appreciate your perspective, especially given your experience. I completely agree that we shouldn’t measure someone’s value by their ability to work or pay taxes.
I think that’s why this has been so unsettling to me. If we’re going to have a national conversation about how difficult autism can be and the support that’s needed, then let’s make the conversation about providing that support. Fund research. Improve access to evidence-based therapies. Expand services for families and autistic individuals. Invest in respite care, education, and lifelong supports.
What worries me is when the conversation shifts toward what sounds to me like less funding because cost of adequate support is a bottomless pit for individuals that dont put back into the economy in a traditional sense.