Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently claimed he doesn’t see older adults with what he calls “full-blown autism” — and that this somehow supports his long-debunked theory about vaccines.
As two Bay Area moms raising autistic children, we’ve heard this line before.
It’s not just wrong. It’s dangerous.
Here’s the reality: people with severe autism have always existed. But in the 1950s and 60s, they were rarely diagnosed, often misdiagnosed and frequently institutionalized. If Kennedy didn’t see peers with significant support needs when he was a kid, it’s not because they didn’t exist. It’s because they were hidden away.
Autism wasn’t even listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders until 1980. Before that, kids with what we now call Level 3 autism were often labeled with schizophrenia or mental retardation. They were placed in state-run institutions. Sometimes for life.
When those institutions began to close in the 60s and 70s, people weren’t suddenly welcomed into society. Many were shuttled into underfunded group homes, bounced between systems or ended up on the street.
The 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act required public schools to educate children with disabilities, including autism. But that didn’t mean every child was integrated into the classroom — especially not the private classrooms Kennedy was in.
Even now, many students with Level 3 autism don’t spend their school days in general education settings. If you’re not a teacher, a specialist or a parent, you might never cross paths with them.
And where are those people today — the older adults Kennedy says he doesn’t see at the mall? Some are in supported residential programs. Others are living with aging parents who are scrambling to plan for the future. And tragically, many have died — too soon — after years of inappropriate medical care.
Related Articles
Mental health services lacking in immigration detention centers, California report finds
Letters: Death of our republic is the world’s loss
Judge orders involuntary medication of California conspiracy theorist charged with killing his 2 kids in Mexico
San Mateo County expands mobile mental health response
Deputies fatally beat California man experiencing mental health crisis, lawsuit claims
Because so many were misdiagnosed, they were often treated with psychiatric drugs they didn’t need. Many experienced neglect, institutional abuse or simply slipped through the cracks.
To suggest their absence from public spaces today proves autism is a modern phenomenon isn’t just ignorant — it’s cruel.
We co-host “Refrigerator Moms,” a podcast that tackles tough conversations about autism parenting. We don’t shy away from hard truths. And here’s one: the systems that failed autistic people 50 years ago are still failing them now.
If RFK Jr. wants to make a difference, he can advocate for better services for aging adults with autism and real support for families like ours. But misinformation and conspiracy theories aren’t helping anyone.
Autism isn’t new. What’s new is that more people are finally being seen.
Kelley Jensen and Julianna Scott, two Bay Area mothers of autistic young adults, co-host the podcast “Refrigerator Moms.”