We need to take Mr Trump’s claims seriously, because we're going to be dealing with the impacts for a long time.
Another day, another piece of misinformation. Another battle to fight in what feels like an endless culture war on the autistic community and our push for acceptance.
The Trump administration’s declaration that it has finally “discovered the cause of autism” and is blaming it on something as common as acetaminophen (paracetamol) is not just scientifically baseless, it’s a direct threat to decades of hard-fought advocacy by and for autistic people.
This so-called evidence has more holes than the slice of Swiss cheese I’m side-eyeing for my lunch, and is far less palatable.
For those of us immersed in disability rights and intersectional feminism, it’s déjà vu all over again – another attempt to replace evidence and lived experience with scapegoating and stigma, fuelled by some sectors of the media and twisted political ideologies.
For years, autistic self-advocates and our allies have built momentum for a world where autism isn’t seen as an epidemic or a personal tragedy, but simply as a part of human variation.
This announcement of “proof” drags public conversation backwards, bringing back the harmful language of “finding the cause”, as if we are a problem to be solved (or worse, eradicated) not human beings deserving rights and respect.
Framing autism as something parents should avoid or “fix”, especially when tied to routine medicines used by pregnant folks, shames families, feeds ableism, and does absolutely nothing to address the systemic discrimination autistic people still face in education, employment, healthcare and more.
We’ve been here before…
Let’s be clear, we’ve seen what happens when powerful voices seize on speculation.
The Wakefield study that wrongly blamed the MMR vaccine for autism was retracted and thoroughly debunked, but its legacy is still felt. Vaccination rates dropped, preventable diseases surged, and parents were left trapped between guilt and fear, despite overwhelming scientific consensus that vaccines don’t cause autism.
The announcement disregards a wealth of peer-reviewed studies showing that autism is a complex condition with strong genetic underpinnings, not something caused by a single medication or preventable event.
Associating autism with paracetamol, without reliable evidence, repeats a pattern seen with the anti-vax movement. It stokes fear, encourages discrimination against autistic people, and creates an environment of guilt and anxiety for parents, particularly those giving birth.
Ultimately, public health has and will pay the price, and so will autistic people. For years we have been forced to respond to questions about whether our existence was “caused” by a decision to vaccinate, and now we can add on the use of these medications.
Medical professionals are already warning that pregnant people may now avoid effective and safe treatments for fever or pain, risking other health complications, while facing new blame for their children’s disabilities based on oversimplified and unsupported “answers”.
The ‘rising rates’ argument
Yes, it has been proven that the rate of autism diagnosis is on the rise. But it’s not because we’re taking medication, utilising vaccines or the presence of chemtrails in the sky. (Yes, that is a reason I have heard more than once).
Instead, the rise can be connected largely to greater public awareness, expanded diagnostic criteria, improved access to assessments, and better identification among previously underserved groups, including girls, culturally diverse children, and adults.
Related
Reports in Australia echo global patterns, with at least one in 40 Australians now estimated to be autistic, and authorities emphasising that increased prevalence does not necessarily reflect a surge in incidence, but rather the cumulative impact of changing practices, social inclusion efforts, and evolving understandings of neurodiversity.
Long-term harm, no solutions
The US administration’s claim is already fuelling anxiety among pregnant people, feeding internet rabbit-holes, and giving ammunition to those who want to turn back the clock on disability rights.
Longer term, it shifts attention and resources away from priorities the autistic community has been demanding for years, such as genuine inclusion, proper funding for supports, recognition of intersectional barriers, and investment in innovative and respectful research.
To me, this move is the latest in a trend of anti-science pronouncements, aiming to inflame controversy and weaken faith in rigorous, evidence-based medicine while offering no real support for autistic people or their families.
It’s a kind of “solutionism” that deflects attention from real, intersectional barriers autistic people face, like discrimination and access to services, to employment, education, and health equity, especially for marginalised groups who already bear the brunt of stigma and misinformation.
I know that there is the temptation to scoff at the announcement and brush it off as easily dismissable – another in the long line of dubious claims by an administration directing a nation into mainstreaming of rhetoric and policies that erode norms, breed hate, and turn any form of difference into a threat.
Unfortunately, I think we need to take it seriously. Because we’re going to be dealing with the impacts for a long time.
Clare Gibellini is chair of the National Disability Research Partnership, a board director, TedX speaker, mad Chicken Lady and proudly disabled.
This article was first published on LinkedIn. Read the original article here.
