In a move that will undoubtedly provoke angry outbursts from Autism Hub bloggers the Chicago Sun-Times has named Autism Mom and Celebrity Autism Activist Jenny McCarthy as one of the The ten women who inspired us in '07. Paige Wiser and Lisa Donovan of the Sun-Times noted that:
Jenny McCarthy
The zany blond struck a serious note this year, going public with her son's autism diagnosis. Her book Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism was honest, informative, down-to-earth and sometimes painful. McCarthy took a gamble, going public with her problems and shattering her fantasy image. Mothers everywhere thank her.
I do not subscribe to Ms McCarthy's views about autism causes and treatments but I try to keep an open mind and science is not, despite the views of neurodiversity bloggers to the contrary, a process by which possibilities are closed forever. New evidence, new studies may well support her anecdotal evidence about autism cause and treatment.
I do admire Ms McCarthy for speaking out about her son's condition and her efforts to help him. She must have known that as a beautiful actress she would be subjected to scorn and ridicule in some corners for presuming to enter the public debate on issues that affect her son so profoundly. But she did it anyway and encouraged many other parents in doing so. And she probably brought more attention to autism disorders and autism issues than the entirety of the Autism Hub's neurodiversity bloggers will ever do in their lifetimes.
I do not subscribe to Ms McCarthy's views about autism causes and treatments but I try to keep an open mind and science is not, despite the views of neurodiversity bloggers to the contrary, a process by which possibilities are closed forever. New evidence, new studies may well support her anecdotal evidence about autism cause and treatment.
I do admire Ms McCarthy for speaking out about her son's condition and her efforts to help him. She must have known that as a beautiful actress she would be subjected to scorn and ridicule in some corners for presuming to enter the public debate on issues that affect her son so profoundly. But she did it anyway and encouraged many other parents in doing so. And she probably brought more attention to autism disorders and autism issues than the entirety of the Autism Hub's neurodiversity bloggers will ever do in their lifetimes.
autism
I felt the same way after reading her book.
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