Here’s a list of celebrities with autism who have inspired many and have changed the way the world thinks about the Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Often celebrities opening up about their personal struggles serve as the occasional wake-up call that celebrities are, after all, human too. Their opening up about their disorders is, at times, much more effective in spreading awareness about health issues. And, in this case, it does bust a few notions and proves that people suffering from the disorder can in fact be very successful.
Autism is a general term for used for brain development disorders that cause severe impairment in social interactions and communication, and repetitive behavior. The syndrome may affect individuals differently and its manifestation can cover a wide spectrum ranging from mild or medium to high functioning autism. However, autistic individuals may display special abilities and qualities in their specific areas of interest.
We also have the list of 11 Countries with the Highest Rates of Autism in the World that discusses statistics of the occurrence of autism across nations.
While celebrities like Kate Winslet and Toni Braxton have been known to be great advocates for the cause of awareness around autism, others, like Temple Grandin, have opened up about themselves being diagnosed with it and gone ahead to educate the world. However the “spectrum” has proved to be tricky at times. Like instances when comedian Jerry Seinfeld went on to self-diagnose that he might be on the mild end of it, and Facebook’s former head of engineering pointing out how Mark Zuckerberg had a ‘touch of Asperger’s’, the thin line between an actual diagnosis and speculations keeps blurring out. Refraining from speculations, Insider Monkey’s list (ranked in no particular order) features the celebrities who have openly spoken about being diagnosed with autism or Asperger’s syndrome, a form of the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), in their interviews. The compilation has been created by sourcing various news articles and interviews.
There’s no doubt that celebrities are one of the biggest influencers in the society. And celebrities coming to terms with their disorders mean more people are inspired and informed, helping patients to identify their symptoms and get an early diagnosis or an intervention. Read on to find out who are the 7 celebrities with autism.
7. Susan Boyle
After being unsure about her condition for a long time, Susan Boyle stated how relieved she was on finally being diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. The singer with a golden voice and Britain’s Got Talent winner has since been vocal about her growing up struggles with the disorder.
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