Episode 13: Thomas McKean Is an Autism Self-Advocate Who Stands Up for Parents

Apple podcasts here

The internet sees rampant bullying of autism parents but Tom McKean is calling BS. Diagnosed with autism in his teens, Tom, now in his mid-50s, became one of autism’s very earliest self-advocates, along with Temple Grandin and a few others. Grounded in his desire to help those less fortunate than himself, he now writes and blogs about autism and its bizarre culture wars. Highlights:

• His (bitter) experience being institutionalized in his late teens

• His unexpected journey toward becoming an autism advocate

• He has decades of witnessing parents’ sacrifice and love for their children, but some of the newer and more vitriolic advocates are ignorant of the broader world of autism

• Interviewer Jill Escher has been chatting with Tom about guitar for several months, and the episode closes with the two performing an impromptu and fairly ear-offending duet!

Links:

Tom McKean on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/thomasamckean

Blogpost about the autism puzzle piece logo: The Autism Puzzle Piece Logo: What It Really Means