World Autism Awareness Day: Get To Know These 5 Successful People With Autism

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“Everyone has a mountain to climb and autism has not been my mountain, it has been my opportunity for victory.” – Rachel Barcellona

According to the CDC, around 1% of people across the world has autism spectrum disorder, which is over 75,000,000 people. This reported prevalence inspired two major celebratory months for people with autism: Autism Awareness Month and Autism Acceptance Month.

Today, we begin the commemoration with the UN-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day with the theme "Transformation: Toward a Neuro-Inclusive World for All." Moreover, this article will not only hold a brief introduction to this celebration but also show you, the readers, some notable people who beat the odds and flourish with autism.

World Autism Awareness Day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness on autism spectrum disorders and combat ableist perspectives in society. Observance of this month includes many events that cater to promoting inclusivity and understanding towards people with autism, as well as providing insights on the harsh and difficult discrimination they would face.

Ableism is a harmful perception in society and people with autism are affected by such unjust ways of thinking. To give more perspective, here are famous and notable personalities living with autism:

Greta Thunberg

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Greta Thunberg, the environmental activist famous for her climate strikes and urging world leaders to take action on climate change, is vocal and open about her Asperger’s syndrome diagnosis, previously calling it her “superpower.” In an interview with The Guardian, she explains this, saying that “A lot of people with autism have a special interest that they can sit and do for an eternity without getting bored. It’s a very useful thing sometimes. Autism can be something that holds you back, but if you get to the right circumstance, if you are around the right people, if you get the adaptations that you need and you feel you have a purpose, then it can be something you can use for good. And I think that I’m doing that now.” 

Courtney Love

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Courtney Love has had a successful grunge music career (one time, being the wife of another grunge icon, Kurt Cobain) and has been nominated for multiple Grammys, as well as multiple acting credits in several films. Love revealed back in 1994 in a Rolling Stone interview, that she was diagnosed with mild autism at a young age. According to Love, she has difficulty initiating conversations and would often practice socializing with other people first.

Sir Anthony Hopkins

Photo from Marvel Studios

You may know him as Dr. Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs or as Odin in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but what you may not know is that behind his illustrious career and two Oscar wins, Hopkins is diagnosed with high-functioning Asperger’s syndrome, which he first disclosed in 2017. In an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Hopkins told them, "I was a bit slow as a school kid, and so I made up for it by working hard, and I became, you know, a successful actor. Obsessiveness about the details.”

Susan Boyle

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With her phenomenal rendition of “I Dreamed A Dream” from Les Miserables on Britain’s Got Talent back in 2009, Boyle reveals in an interview with the Observer that she has Asperger’s syndrome. As a child, she was misdiagnosed as having "brain damage" instead of what she actually has. “I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong and I feel relieved and a bit more relaxed about myself," she says. However, with her rise upon entering Britain’s Got Talent, she grew to have more success to live by as she became one of the best-selling British female artists of her generation.

Rachel Barcellona

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Rachel Barcellona is a fashion model, beauty queen, radio personality, board member of the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at the University of South Florida, and an advocate for autism. She was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3 and has always been an active spokesperson for autism. Being very dedicated to inclusivity for autistic people, she eventually started her own platform called, The Ability Beyond Disability, and gave a speech at the United Nations for the 2019 World Autism Awareness Day.

People with autism who not only managed to find success but also use it as a strength are reminders to many like them that being on the spectrum does not equate to disability. They are inspirations to people living with the same conditions as them to pursue and strive for their dreams, ambitions, and goals in life.

Today, and for the commemoration of Autism Awareness Month and Autism Acceptance Month this April, we join the celebration and empowerment of people who live with the condition. How about you, do you know other inspiring autistic people?