Tasteless Autism/Immunization Joke

Did you hear the one about the mother who suspected she was autistic and so did not immunize her son so he wouldn’t “get autistic” too…and then he turned out to have autism* despite not being immunized?

That one was about my son and me!

I mention this partly because life cracks me up and partly because my dear friend Rachel, a passionate and loving advocate around autism (here are just a few of her projects: http://www.autismandempathy.com/ and http://www.journeyswithautism.com/) has sometimes been vilified in “the autism community” for being pro-vaccination. It seems difference (here, of opinion) is sometimes unacceptable, even in a community of people who have differences from the neurotypical norm, or have family members with such differences…

Concerns around immunization have been a force since immunization programs began; likewise, immunization has had an enormous body of supporters and has unquestionably saved many, many lives. Although I was trained in graduate school to read statistics – even quite complex sets – I cannot say from looking at the numbers that I know with anywhere near 100% certainty what the right choice is for anyone else in the autism/immunization debate. 

Nor does our joke-embodied story prove anything beyond its own scope.

But I do know for sure that being intolerant of others’ opinions is unjust.

I also know that a good laugh is often the answer, even if it doesn’t solve the exact question in question.

Love,

Full Spectrum Mama

* …and to be the most wonderful son in the whole wide world, according to his Mama, Just As He Is.