Parenting With Asperger's: What Autistic Looks Like

By now, you've probably heard about the rapper 50 Cent stating that someone he dislikes looks autistic and he doesn't want special needs people on his Twitter page. Holly Robinson Peete composed a very touching response to him and posted it on her website.

In response to his very rude and ignorant tweets, several other ASD bloggers have chosen to respond. This is my contribution.

The above image is a picture of my 3 children. Allow me to introduce you to them.

This is Thomas. He has Special Needs. Can't tell, can you? He's caring for his newborn kitten whose mother died during birth. But how can a kid with Special Needs do something so ..... normal??? So kind? So gentle? Thomas has Sensory Processing Disorder.

This is Max. He built this Lego car in about 2 hours. It's over 800 pieces. I'm not really seeing the "autistic look" you speak of, 50. I DO see a 12 yr old kid who is pretty proud of his accomplishment here. He just also happens to have Autism. And a kick ass Lego car that sits on the mantle over the fireplace.

This is Rachel. She just got done swimming with her little brother. She has Special Needs, too. Can you see that, 50 Cent? No? She looks like every other 10 year old girl out there? That's what I thought, too. Well, guess what? She has Sensory Processing Disorder like her brothers. She also has some traits of Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD.

And this is me. My name is Carrie and I have Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD, Fibromyalgia, and Migraines. I look like a pink-haired pin-up here, but I don't see Special Needs or Autism. Do you?

What a mindfuck you must be having, 50. From what I can see, we all look just like everyone else. Does autism have a "look" that all of us on, or associated with, the spectrum don't know about? Is there a Special Needs look we don't know about? I know you're REALLY busy being a business man, a rapper, and an icon for so many, but I do hope you take time out of your day to respond to SOMEONE and explain yourself.

 This post was first published on Parenting With Asperger's and is reposted with permission here.