https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elon-mus ... 0796f1f651
Some Are Excusing Elon Musk's Disturbing Salute As Autism — And Autistic People Have Thoughts
If you’ve dared to hop on X, formerly Twitter, in the last few days, you likely saw Elon Musk’s shocking salute at the end of his inauguration rally speech. You may have also come across users saying the move was a sign of autism.
Musk, who is working for President Donald Trump’s administration, revealed he had Asperger’s during a “Saturday Night Live” monologue a few years ago; that condition is now known as a presentation of autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. Users argued that gestures like the one Musk made at the rally, along with acting “weird,” are symptoms of the disorder.
As some experts and advocates may tell you, autism symptoms and gestures that appear like targeted hate toward people are typically two completely different things.
First, while autism can cause people to struggle more in social situations, it doesn’t mean it excuses cruelty and disrespect, whether intentional or not. While some individuals who are autistic may struggle to interpret social cues or engage in social settings, that doesn’t mean they’ll jump to controversial actions.
“Neurodivergent people are just like anyone else and are able to learn social norms, context and impacts of their actions,” Jennifer Vincent, a licensed mental health counselor who works with autistic and neurodivergent individuals, and has nearly 20 years of experience, told HuffPost.
Shea Belsky, a Jewish person and autistic self-advocate, also emphasized this point based on his own experience. “Autism does not make it impossible for someone to feel shame, empathy or guilt for their actions,” he told HuffPost. “I do not believe for a second that Elon was oblivious to what he was doing.”
Additionally, as autistic X user @FowlCrown, Siena, stated in a post that autism and a Nazi salute are not a cause-and-effect situation. “im autistic and wouldn’t make any movement even close to a nazi especially in front of a cROWD at such a heightened political time,” they wrote.
There’s also the argument of dyspraxia, a movement and coordination disorder that’s common in autistic children. Some on social media suggested Musk’s salute could be a product of that.
Amelia Kelley, a trauma-informed therapist who treats clients with autism and other forms of neurodiversity, and author of “Powered by ADHD: Strategies and Exercises for Women to Harness Their Untapped Gifts,” explained to HuffPost that these movements in autistic individuals are a natural part of how their brains process sensory input and social interactions.
Lauren Dawson, an autistic person and neurodiversity coach, said she occasionally experiences challenges with coordination, more commonly associated with dyspraxia. She struggles to judge where her body is in space, leading her to bump into things a lot. What autism or dyspraxia doesn’t cause Dawson to personally do, though, is salute, she said.
“There is a stark difference between uncoordinated movement and making the same ... gesture twice, without hesitation and as a fast movement,” she said.
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