As an autistic person, I get sick and tired of the implication that we need to be cured, or that we’re some kind of burden to society. Granted, no two autistic people are alike, and some of us are able to function in the neurotypical world better than others, but as a group, we have contributed a great deal to this planet. Your world would be very different if we weren’t in it.
Below, I’ll list some of our strengths (Some of which I definitely do NOT have. Again, no two of us are alike.), then I’ll list some of the most impactful autistic people that we know of. After all of this, I hope you’ll consider accommodating us more, trying to understand us more, and providing us with the services and support we need. Think of it as a public service.
The strengths I’m about to list make us excellent employees if given the proper accommodation. We may not all interview well based on current criteria, but you’ll benefit from looking deeper if any of these qualities are important to you:
Exceptional Memory. Some of us have an uncanny ability to recall dialogue word for word, or can recall specific events, facts, or dates.
Attention to Detail. Many of us look at the trees while you’re looking at the forest. We can detect small and subtle details. We pick up on the smallest changes in patterns. We can be very precise.
Expertise in certain topics. If an autistic person has a special interest, they often have in-depth knowledge related to that interest which rises to the level of encyclopedic knowledge.
Problem solving. Some autistic people can be up to 40 percent faster at solving problems than the average neurotypical person. Many of us are less likely to make irrational decisions or go with our gut. We tend to be very logical.
Honesty and Sincerity. Of the autistic people I’ve talked to online, these qualities seem to be fairly universal. We say what we mean, and we mean what we say. (It can be confusing when it turns out that a neurotypical person doesn’t actually want the truth when they ask us about something.) We are direct in our speaking, but don’t intend to be offensive. Most of us can be relied upon to show up on time, meet deadlines, adhere to rules, and maintain routines.
Moral Compass. We tend to have a great deal of integrity and can be trusted. We can also have a very strong work ethic. We can be highly empathetic. We can stand up for our beliefs and challenge things that we see as unjust. We can be intensely loyal.
Creativity and Innovation. Many of us think out of the box, and that can produce creative and innovative ideas in areas such as art, science, mathematics and technology.
Extreme Concentration. Once we are on a task, many of us can remain laser focused for hours on end.
Persistence. Many of us have a hard time giving up on things, which is quite a plus when you have an obstacle that needs to be overcome, or a challenge that needs to be met. And many of us enjoy repetitive tasks that would bore or annoy others.
Sensory Strengths. Many of us have better vision, see colors intensely, and we’re twice as likely to have synesthesia, which is a condition in which multiple senses are perceived simultaneously. Some have acute hearing, even to the extent that they have perfect pitch. Some have heightened sensitivity to sound, smell, and taste. Some of us (Not me!) have an excellent sense of direction.
Giftedness. Statistically, we are twice as likely to have high intelligence. Not all of us are savants, contrary to popular belief, but we are at least ten times more likely to be than the general population. (Being a savant is something you only see in the neurotypical world about 1 percent of the time, so our 10-30 percent excludes the majority of autistic people, too. Never assume, please. We’re not performing seals.)
Now that you have a sense of what many of us are capable of, let me provide you with a list of names of autistic people who have made an impact on the world.
Diagnosed or Self-Identified Autistics:
- Anthony Hopkins
- Daryl Hannah
- Dan Aykroyd
- Julian Assange
- Courtney Love
- Elon Musk
- Hannah Gadsby
- Greta Thunberg
- Temple Grandin
- Jerry Seinfeld
- David Byrne
- Roseanne Barr
- Carl Sagan
Suspected or Rumored to Be Autistic:
- Albert Einstein
- Emily Dickinson
- Andy Warhol
- Charles Darwin
- Hans Christian Andersen
- Isaac Newton
- James Joyce
- Jane Austen
- Leonardo Da Vinci
- Lewis Carroll
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Michelangelo
- Nikola Tesla
- Thomas Jefferson
- Virginia Woolf
- Wolfgang Mozart
- Tim Burton
- Bobby Fischer
- Bill Gates
- Vincent van Gogh
- Stephen Spielberg
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Thomas Edison
- Alexander Graham Bell
- Benjamin Franklin
- Henry Ford
- Bob Dylan
- James Taylor
- John Denver
- Carl Jung
- Mark Twain
- George Orwell
- Charles M. Schulz
- Woody Allen
- Steve Jobs
- Jim Henson
- Stanley Kubrick
- Michael Jackson
- Alan Turing
- H. G. Wells
- Prince Charles of Wales
- Friedrich Nietzsche
- Warren Buffett
So, even if you get a strange vibe from us, even if we confuse you or annoy you, it’s well worth the effort to take us seriously and accommodate our differences. We can make a hell of a positive impact on this world if given a chance. What have you got to lose?
Sources:
https://embrace-autism.com/autism-strengths-and-challenges/
https://positiveautism.org/content/autism-info/general-autism-info/strengths-in-autistic-people/
https://www.altogetherautism.org.nz/strengths-and-abilities-in-autism/
https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/autistic-strengths
https://www.facebook.com/osnepalcom/videos/445486716917578
https://www.autisticculturepodcast.com/podcast
https://www.getinflow.io/post/autistic-celebrities-adhd
https://blog.ongig.com/diversity-and-inclusion/famous-people-with-autism/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism_rights_movement#Notable_individuals
https://www.lifehack.org/805825/successful-people-with-autism
https://behavioral-innovations.com/blog/20-famous-people-with-autism-spectrum-disorder-asd/
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