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Video · Chris / Inside view

Autism, Family History, and Why We Don’t Need a Cure

Chris discusses autism, inherited traits, and his family history while challenging the idea that autistic people need to be cured.

  • Autistic identity / Acceptance
  • All audiences
  • 0:42
  • Free resource
  • Published August 25, 2026
Content note

Discusses autism, inherited traits, family history, vaccine misinformation, and cure-focused language.

Accessible text version

Full transcript

Autism is not a disease. Despite the misinformation, it is not gained through environmental effects. It is not gained through vaccines. It is not a nurture thing; it is nature. You are born with it. It is genetic. It runs on my father’s side of the family back at least four generations that I know of, and that is just because that is as far back as we can remember. It probably goes back much further than that. That side of the family goes back to the Mayflower. For all I know, somebody on the Mayflower that I was related to—John Howland—was autistic. Who knows? But anyway, autism is not a disease. It is not something to be cured.
About this content

Decoding Divergent shares lived experience and general educational information. It is not medical, mental-health, legal, or educational advice and is not a substitute for qualified professional support.