Two years ago, in the winter of my freshman year, my then-17-year-old sister said her first sentence in the car on the way to school. A seemingly unimportant December day turned out to be the beginning of my sister’s language journey. Today at 19, she strings together new sentences and enhances her vocabulary on the daily. 

My older sister, Mackenzie, was diagnosed with autism in an educational setting when she was 18 months old, which helped her receive additional school support. Then, at 5 years old, she was diagnosed by a medical professional.

My whole life, past, present, and future, I have been a caretaker for my sister. I have been a mother, sister, mentor, role model, and protector all before I could even brush my own teeth. I don’t even know who I am without my sister. 

My entire childhood, I was asked what was wrong with my sister and why she was different from other kids. It wasn’t with bad intent, just childish curiosity, and I never knew any difference either, so who was I to judge my peers? My response was the same every time: what my mom had always told me. “She was born with it; her mind just works in a different way than yours.” 

Although, as I’ve gotten older, times have changed, and so have attitudes towards those with autism. I’ve heard countless remarks spoken across hallways, in parking lots, and in classrooms. Whether it be with malicious intent or coming from a place of ignorance, they’re always present, and I’m not sure which one is worse.

“You’re autistic, bro.”, “Ugh, she’s so SPED.”, “Are you slow?”

Hearing these phrases doesn’t just make me sad; they genuinely make my heart hurt. All that runs through my mind are flashes of kids like my sister, those who are unable to stand up for themselves against people who won’t, or don’t understand. 

As stated by the “American Psychological Association”, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate and can be characterized by repetitive behaviors and difficulties interacting socially. I won’t lie, it is a complicated definition, even coming from someone who has seen it up close and personal. 

The organization also points to the source, which can get controversial, as caused by genetic and environmental factors. The organization shares studies that confirm it is not caused by vaccines, which is a commonly held belief. I’ve been looked in the eyes by adults and told that the reason my sister has autism is because she is vaccinated. Yeah, picture being seven years old and having to respond to that. 

So imagine my initial reaction of shock, disappointment, anger, and exasperation when I came across news articles and found new claims linking the pharmaceutical drug, Tylenol, to autism. Imagine how I felt when all of a sudden, what I had rehearsed, what I had memorized, and all that I had known to be true was suddenly invalidated in a single claim.

The lessons and experiences I have had with my sister have shaped me into the person I am. I am forever grateful and full of empathy that I get to have this life with my sister.

And maybe this is what people in office making these claims should have. Empathy. 

This isn’t just a “disease” or an “illness” that politicians can slap a label onto whenever it’s convenient to them. It’s a spectrum with highs and lows, valleys and peaks, where some may need more help than others. No two diagnosed people have the same diagnosis.

But these are real people. Real people who struggle and deserve better than politicians wanting to cure them as a booster for their campaigns, when there’s nothing wrong in the first place. It’s such a harmful way of thinking.

Uniqueness is a terrifying thought to those trapped in the cages of uniformity, while threatening the stability of a system built by bland, identical bricks of the same individuals. 

Whether it be from politicians, adults, or students, we all need to be more accepting, even for topics we don’t entirely know or understand. It’s impossible to know the challenges that people endure.

My mom has always said, “Everyone struggles with something; it’s just that some struggles are more visible than others.”