This Podcast Is... Uncalled For - Thoughts on RFK Jr and Autism

Episode Date: April 22, 2025

This episode is in response to RFK Jr.'s disgusting words on autism and its effects on the people who struggle with it - including the podcast's host and producer.

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So this is going to be one of those early release episodes. And basically telling RFK Jr. to go fuck himself. Okay. If you don't know what's going on, I feel sorry for you. Everything buts. what Robert F. King Jr. has said about autism and those of us who are on the spectrum is frankly quite disgusting and I need to talk about it. So how we're going to talk about it? Well, we're going to start with a BBC article from April 2025. 11, 2025, RFK Jr.

pledges to find the cause of autism by September. Okay, that headline alone should tell you a lot. As I was diagnosed with being on the spectrum at 7 or 8, and one of the reasons I did this, started this podcast in the first place was to address, you know, things like this. I wouldn't normally talk about in public because frankly it's embarrassing

but talk about it we are so here you go so U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kinney Jr. has pledged a massive testing and research effort

to determine the cause of autism in five months months. Remember what I said, that was seven or eight? When I was a diagnosis, that was 40 years ago. And a lot has changed in our understanding of this condition since then. To the point that it's now, except on the mainstream to at least address. it. So, here we go. Experts caution that finding the causes of autism spectrum disorder, a complex syndrome that has been studied for decades, will not be straightforward and called the effort misguided and unrealistic. There you go. Kennedy, who has promoted debunked

theories suggesting autism is linked to vaccines, said during a cabinet meeting on Thursday of that week, the U.S. research effort would, quote, involve hundreds of scientists from around the world. By September, we will know what has caused the autism epidemic and will be able to eliminate those exposures. Okay, pause. Let us look up the word epidemic. I do not think it means what you

think it means, Mr. So epidemic, a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time. autism is not

an epidemic I can't breathe in your face and all of a sudden you're autistic you know that that's not how it works it's a it's a it's a neurological disorder

is the best way to describe it and one that you cannot pass from person to person so so it's used of the word epidemic in this context Not cool, Bobby. Not cool. So, continuing with the article, autism diagnoses have increased sharply since 2000, according to government figures.

And by 2020, the rates among 8-year-olds reached 2.77% according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Scientists, important to note, Bobby Kennedy, is not a... scientist is a attorney by trade. Scientists attributes at least part of the rise to increase awareness of autism and an expanding definition of the disorder. Researchers have also been investigating

environmental factors. The U.S. National Institutes of Health, government agencies, spends more than 300 million per year researching autism. The NIH lists several

possible risk factors including prenatal exposure to pesticides or air pollution, premature birth or low birth rate, maternal health problems, and parents conceiving at older ages. Kennedy

did not give details on the research project or how much funding would be devoted to autism research. Since being sworn in two months ago, the former environmental lawyer, he's a lawyer, he's not a doctor, has slashed the budget for the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the NIH, CDC, and other government health organizations that oversee for. food and drug safety and conduct disease research and there's a link fact checking we'll get to that in just a second but how are you going to research this when you're cutting all the funding think about that we're going to look at vaccines but we're going to look at

everything Kennedy Laird said during an interview with fixed an anoint about this scope of the undertaking. Everything is on the table. Our food system, our water, our air, different ways of parenting, all the kinds of changes that may have triggered this epidemic. There's that word again. This is not communicable disease. Okay. And knock it off with the vaccines already. That has been thoroughly debunked there's a great South Park episode on the

subject of autism and vaccines check it out it's called ass burgers not to be confused with aspergers the disease but in the episode

Cartman literally cooks burgers and shows them up his ass is a very funny and hard breaking and and everything I do suggest checking out because they are right about one thing. Vaccines do not

cause a disorder like this. Continuing with the article in a statement, the Autism Society of America called Kenny's plan harmful, misleading, and unrealistic. Is

neither a chronic illness nor a contagion the society says okay it's not a illness in that way but it is a genetic disorder all right that's the

better way to describe it and I say this again as someone who is on the spectrum and is no longer afraid to talk about it.

We continue. Christopher Banks. The society's presence questioned whether the research efforts will be transparent. No, and anything from Donnie's first term, probably not. Because if they were transparent, he would have been

impeached a thousand times over. And hopefully removed from office. But continuing with the article, the research efforts would be transparent and says Claims that autism is solely caused by environmental malfactors were misleading theories which perpetuate harmful stigma, jeopardize public health, and distract from the critical needs of the autism community. Kennedy has alarmed some over his hiring of David Giles. Geier, G-I-E-R, has been described by some as a conspiracy theorist to research

vaccines and autism, and on Thursday, Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives wrote to HHS to express our urgent concern over the selection of a biased and discredited individual. Geyer is a leading vaccine skeptic who is fined by the St. Maryland for practicing medicine without a medical license or medical degree and describing dangerous treatment and prescribing dangerous treatments to autistic children. The discredited idea that vaccines in childhood are linked to autism first gained mainstream attention, after a paper published in 1998 in the medical journal The Lancet's by British Dr. Andrew Wakefield. Wakefield was later found to have financial conflicts of interest in the UK's general medical counsel

found that he falsified his results and the research paper was retracted. So good job Dickhead. so there is a link that's the article provided and we're going to look over that too so we're fact-checking RFK Junior's views on health policy we will skip to where it asks what does RFK Jr. say about vaccine safety Kennedy said that in his NPR interview that vaccines were not going to be taken away from everyone He said he wants to improve the science on vaccine safety, which he believes has huge deficits, and that he wants good information so people can make informed choices.

But his critique of the vaccine safety regime has been roundly dismissed by experts, while Kennedy has denied on several occasions that he is anti-vax and said he and his kids are faxed, he has repealed stated widely debunked claims about vaccine harm. One of his main false claims was that autism comes from vaccines. And they

said nonsense about fluoride and drinking water which we'll go into and ultra-processed foods Oh Okay and COVID claims widely criticized Oh there's a more recent article about

All this that we'll get to a sec But first let's check with WebMD They do have an article on autism So what is autism Also called the Autism Spectrum Disorder is a complex developmental condition that affects how people interact, communicate, learn, and behave. People with ASD have differences in their brain function that can impact their behavior and social interactions. Autism appears before age 3 and persists throughout a person's life. is a spectrum disorder which means that it affects people in different ways and varying degrees

people with autism may have trouble with communication and understanding others thoughts and emotions might be difficult for someone with autism this makes it hard for them to express themselves either with words or through gestures, facial expressions, and touch. Learning. Autism can come with learning problems, including developing skills at an uneven rate. For example, someone with autism could have trouble communicating but be unusually good at art, music, math, or things that involve memory. because of this they might do especially well in tests of analysis or problem solving transitions those with autism may struggle with transitions and changes in their daily

routine sensory stimulation i had a phone conversation just a couple days ago about uh this specifically but uh now this going to read it so they also have differences in how they react to sensory input like sound, light clothes or temperature

intense overly focused interests on topics or actions and it is another common sign of ASD more children are diagnosed with autism now than ever before but the latest numbers

could be higher because of increased awareness and changes in how it's diagnosed, not because more children have the disorder. Scientists are discovering more about the relationship between genetics, environmental factors, and biological factors in relation to ASD. Sometimes people with autism receive a diagnosis as adults, even though they've had the condition since early childhood. This may happen when autism symptoms aren't serious enough to impact someone's daily life.

Early intervention helps improve developments of children with ASD, which may also make daily functioning easier in adulthood. autism functioning labels autism affects every person differently sometimes people use the term high functioning and low functioning to describe someone's autism but these labels can be offensive full disclosure I'm classed as high functioning people often still informally use these labels to describe someone's autism even though they're not medical terms. So what is low-functioning autism? About 30% of people with autism also have an intellectual disability. This means they may need help with everyday tasks and

sometimes aren't able to live alone. And many people call this low-functioning autism. What is high-functioning autism? Other people may have autism with less obvious symptoms. They often do well in school and have fewer problems communicating. People usually call this high-functioning autism or the outdated term Asperger syndrome. The American Psychiatric Association, Introduced three ASD severity levels in the DSM-5.

The Handbook Health Professional is used to diagnose mental disorders. These levels describe the level of support someone with autism needs based on their behavior and social communication needs. Level one, mild requiring support. Level two, moderate, requiring substantial or major support. Level three, severe, requiring very substantial support. To talk about how autism affects someone, you can use terms like more significant or less significant. Better yet, ask someone with autism or their caregiver, how they prefer to describe their condition. symptoms of autism usually appeared before a child turns three and some people show signs from birth

signs include a lack of eye contact so if i so if i'm talking to you and i don't look you in the eyes that's uh that's a big reason uh for that's it's uh looking someone in the eyes makes me uncomfortable. I'll just come in and say it right there. A narrow range of interests or intense interest in certain subjects. Okay, there's some truth to that. Doing something over and over like repeating words or phrases, rocking back and forth or fissioning with items

such as flipping a light switch. High sensitivity to sounds, touches, smells, or sights that can seem ordinary to other people. This is me. No question. Not listening, not looking at or listen to other people. Well, they just said like a eye contact, but yeah, I'm prone to doing that too. Not looking at things when another person points them out to you.

Not wanting to be held or cuddled. Problems, understanding, or using speech, gestures, facial expressions, or tone of voice, talking as sing-song, flat, or robotic voice, trouble adapting to changes in routine. Some people with autism may also have seizures, and these may not start to tell adolescents. Autism symptoms in adults. Common symptoms can include trouble Understanding what other people are thinking or feeling True

Choosing to be on your own or having a hard time Making friends True Anxiety About social activities True Keeping a daily routine and getting upset if it changes Having a hard time

expressing how you feel Taking things literally or not understanding sarcasm. True. Come off as blunt, uninterested, or rude to others without meaning to. Also true. Other signs of autism and adults can avoid avoiding eye contact, not understanding social cues or rules, getting too close to others or getting upset if someone gets too close or touches you.

being very interested in specific things picking up on small details smell sounds or patterns that other people don't wanting to plan things very carefully before doing them symptoms in children may include not responding to their name by my nine months old not showing facial expressions by nine months not wanting to play simple games like patty cake by 12 months doesn't use gestures like waving hello

by 12 months doesn't understand when other people are sad or mad by 24 months doesn't notice or wants to join other children to play by 36 months doesn't sing

act or dance for you by 6 16 months, lines up toys in a specific order, gets upset if the order's changed, shows obsessive interest, rocks their body, flaps their hands, or spins in circles, delayed language, movement, learning, or cognitive skills, odd sleeping or eating habits, less or more fear towards things that would normally be expected. Stimming. Stimbing is a self-stimulating behavior such as hand and arm flapping, rocking, spinning, twirling, jumping, head-banging, and other similar body movements. It can also include using an object over and over again, like flicking a rubber band, twirling a string,

touching something with a certain texture, and more. People with autism may stem for fun to ease boredom or to cope with stress or anxiety. It can also help them adjust to levels of sensory inputs. For example, they may twirl a string so they can watch it or focus on one sound so they can tune out another loud or stressful noise. Autistic meltdowns. At times, a person with autism may feel overwhelmed by a situation and can't find a way to respond. This can cause them to have a meltdown. A meltdown is more than a tantrum, is a nervous system response that person with autism can't control. They may cry, scream, or act out physically by kicking,

punching, or biting. They may shut down completely or stop responding in any way. Meltdowns are the body's physical response to an overwhelming sensory or emotional experience. To support someone with autism during a meltdown, give them space, treat them with respect, and ensure a safe environment. Now we're getting to types of autism. The following terms are no longer used because these conditions fall under the range of autism spectrum disorders, and they start with Asperger syndrome. So children with Asperger's tend to score in the average or above average range in intelligence tests, but they may have challenges with social skills and show a narrow scope of interests. Autism disorder is what most people think of when they hear the word autism. It affects social interactions, communications, and play, and children younger than three years old.

Childhood's disintegrative disorder. Children with this disorder have typical development for at least two years and then lose some are most of their communication and social skills. Pervasive developmental disorder. or atypical autism. Your doctor may use this term if your child has some autistic behavior like delays in social communication skills but doesn't fit into another category. What causes autism? Exactly why autism happens isn't clear, but it can stem from problems in parts of your brain.

that interpret sensory inputs and process language. Autism can happen in people of any race, ethnicity, or social background, family income, lifestyle, or educational level doesn't affect a child's risk of autism. But there are some risk factors. Being born to older parents, being male or assigned male at birth, autism is four times more common in boys than in girls. A sibling with autism, genetic conditions like Fragile X, RET, and Down syndrome, very low birth weight. Is autism genetic? Autism runs in families, so certain combinations of genes may increase a child's risk. Changes in more than a thousand genes may be linked to autism, but not all of them are confirmed by experts. Genetic factors can affect someone's risk of autism, anywhere from 40 to 80%. Your overall risks depends on the combination of your genes,

your environment, your parents' age, and any birth complications. A rare gene mutation or chromosome issue is likely to be the sole cause of about two to four. 4% of people with autism. This since happens in conditions that also affect other parts of the body, like with mutations in the ADNP gene with ADMP syndrome, a person can show signs of autism as well as specific facial features. Many of the genes that are involved in autism are related to brain development. This may be why autism symptoms tend to involve issues with communication, cognitive, functioning, or socialization.

Vaccines and autism. Vaccines don't cause autism. Even though some people have concerns that they do, studies have shown that there's no link between the two. Experts have reviewed the safety of eight vaccines for children and adults. They found that they're very safe. safe despite rare exceptions. Other studies have looked at the ingredients of different vaccines and found no link to autism.

Okay. So let's go back to RFK Jr., but you read the rest of that article at WebMD. and not how I recommend it so this one came out just yesterday RFK

Jr. says autism rates have bigger impacts than COVID because COVID killed old people seriously so People magazine gets credit for this article

so here go RFK Jr., the Health and Human Services Secretary, is claiming that the impact of autism exceeds the impact of COVID on American lives during a new interview. Speaking about autism on the Cats Roundtable radio show on WABC 770 a.m. on Sunday, April 20th, RFK Jr. said it dwarves the COVID epidemic and the impact. acts on our country because COVID killed old people. Not exclusively true asshole. Autism affects children,

affects them at the beginning of their lives, the beginning of their productivity, and it's absolutely debilitating for them, their families, their communities, and for our country, just the pure economic cost of autism. He also claimed that autism but eventually cost the economy

a trillion dollars a year by 2035, though he did not cite where he got the figure. Where'd you get the figure, asshole? Kennedy's comments come on the heels of statements he made a press conference on April 16,

where he claimed that autism destroys families. Okay, we'll be reading that article too. or I may not have to because it's the next quote These are kids who will never pay taxes Funny

I paid taxes I've been paying taxes Where are you getting that shit They'll never hold job I have a few part-time jobs and one of which I'm doing right now

even though I'm not being paid for it they'll never play baseball uh i played baseball i played baseball i played other sports uh softball everything they'll never write a poem um that's news coming to me as someone who does write and writes very well uh and uh yes i have written a couple of poems they'll never go on a date that's okay I had to wait until I was 25 to go off first date by I've dated some women two of whom have been on the podcast one of whom also identifies as being on the spectrum many of them will never use a toilet and assist it

okay that's disgusting and also does not apply The comments sparked outrage among autism advocates, with many arguing that Kennedy's words promoted outdated on harmful rhetoric about people with the neurodevelopmental condition. Alison Singer, president of the Autism Science Foundation, told CNN that RFK Jr.'s comments made it sound like these people, these were people whose lives were worked. worthless when that couldn't be further from the case. Comedian Rosie O'Donnell, whose 12-year-old child Clay has autism, wrote that Kennedy should be ashamed of himself in an April 17 Instagram post. And the CDC study published April 15 reported that 1 in 31st1.

children in America will be diagnosed with autism by age eight as significant and okay an increase where am i getting significant from for from the past two decades however experts widely agree that the increase in autism rates over time is not actually because more people are developing the disorder and said doctors are merely getting better at correctly identifying autism as diagnostic tools become more sophisticated. And Dr. Alex Klovesen, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and clinical director of the Sefer Autism Center at Matt Sinai in New York City, said parents shouldn't panic. we're not seeing an epidemic with autism

but for go measure let's read this article too RFK Jr says people with autism will never pay taxes also people.com so

responding to a new study by the CDC you found 3% of children in the U.S. have autism. Kennedy said the rate the raisin diagnoses constitutes an

epidemic. It's not communicable, dip shit. And vows to identify the environmental cause is responsible for the disorder. Kennedy who has previously promoted a scientifically debunk claim that autism is caused by vaccines.

Denied that the uptake and diagnoses can be explained by experts learning more about the disorder. One of the things that I think that we need to move away from today is the ideology that the autism prevalence increase, the relentless increases, are simply our effects. better diagnoses, better recognition, or changing diagnostic criteria. This epidemic, there's that word again, denial has become a feature of mainstream media. Here we go with media bias again. Kennedy is also facing backlash for the stark yet demonstrably false claims he made about life for children who are diagnosed with

autism spectrum disorder his quote autism destroys families and more importantly it destroys our greatest resource which are children these are children who should not be suffering like this and we already went through the rest of that

stuff and as part of the press conference Kenny also announced that HHS is preparing to launch new studies to identify precisely what the environmental toxins are they're causing this probably the toxins that you're

dipshit boss just okay for companies to release back into the environment despite decades of us trying to clean that shit up Let's, we're going to quote another expert within this article. Secretary Warren, pediatric psychiatrist and autism research at Fanderbiltz,

said, we may have hundreds, if not thousands of different neurological effect, neurogenetic factors that in combination with complicated environmental interactions influence presentations of autism. As a clinician, I wish I had better or quite frankly simpler answers for my families, but autism isn't a single thing. It's a word we use in an attempt to capture a spectrum of behavioral strengths, differences, and vulnerabilities in order to help optimally supports children

so in a con so let's go and close these episodes because this guy's pissing me off

and I know he's pissed off a lot of people in the autism community so I myself am a part of that community as our at least

three people who have been on the podcast. It's not an epidemic. You can't catch it just from talking to someone. It doesn't spread like a virus. There are, as the doctors and the experts have said, it's complex. It's part genetics. It's parts the environment.

is there a care? I wish there were, to be honest with you, but it is what it is, and it is who I am. And there's nothing I can do about it. I just have to live with it. I've lived within my whole life. So fuck you, Robert F. Gany Jr. do the right thing. resign and then we'll do it for this edition of the podcast we will talk to you

next time hopefully under bar our circumstances we're in our circumstances This podcast is on call for is hosted, produced and edited by myself, Mike Chenevsky, someone on the autism spectrum. Opening music is the, this podcast on uncalled. for theme created at suno.com

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by attribution 4.0 license. Please support the podcast. and purchase are exclusive uncalled-for merchandise, t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, stickers, and so much more. Go to www.comfacepress.com slash uncalled-for-pod. Thank you so much for listening. We will see you next time.

Thank you.