Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s stance on autism is drawing criticism from Love on the Spectrum stars.
According to Variety, two stars of the Netflix reality dating show took aim at RFK Jr.’s comments from an April 16 news briefing surrounding the CDC’s findings of the prevalence of autism, particularly that autism “destroys families” and claiming that those with autism will “never pay taxes,” “will never hold a jod,” and will “never go on a date.”
Love on the Spectrum star Dani Bowman told NewsNation that “autism is a spectrum and some people need more support than others.”
“But to generalize and say none of us can work, date or contribute to society is completely false,” she argued. “I have a job. I do pay taxes. I’ve dated. I have a masters degree.”
A spokesperson for the Health and Human Services Department, where Kennedy serves as the Secretary, told The Washington Post that was referring to those that are severely affected by this chronic condition” and that “this was in no way a general characterization.”
James B. Jones, who also stars on Love on the Spectrum, called out RFK Jr.s comments in a TikTok as “extremely ignorant” and “downright offensive.”
In his nine-minute-long video, Jones, who said he is “old enough” and “of sufficient age” to “remember a time when society did not have a very thorough understanding of autism or similar forms of neurodiversity,” noted he is “very displeased, very disheartened to hear someone make comments of that nature.”
He also shared his gratitude for access to special education programs, and like Bowman, also fired back at Kennedy for implying that neurodiverse people must rely on neurotypical people for survival and everyday functioning, therefore “dragging down society.”
“So I do not appreciate comments of that nature at all,” Jones added.
While RFK Jr., who called autism a “preventable disease,” previously said that “by September, we will know what has caused the autism epidemic, and we’ll be able to eliminate those exposure,” the National Institute of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya said that they are “going to get hopefully grants out the door by the end of the summer,” and will “have a major conference, with updates, within the next year,” per CBS News.
However, Bowman said in her NewsNation interview that “wanting to cure autism implies that our way of being is wrong and it isn’t.”
“We don’t need to be fixed,” she added. “We need to be supported. But the answer isn’t erasing autism, it’s building a more inclusive world for all of us.”