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Jenny McCarthy owes me an apology
McCarthy says autism moms love the role of victim.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 14:09
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
On May 26, Jenny McCarthy, Playboy model and president of Generation Rescue, was the keynote speaker at the AutismOne conference — a role she has filled for the past five years. During her address, she found it necessary to state the following about moms who have children with autism but reject her own methods that supposedly helped her child "recover."
"They fall into this victim role and they like it. It's almost as if they didn't get attention in their lives ... and now this incredible door opens where all of these people come over and say, 'Suzy, oh, Suzy, I'm so sorry, is there anything I can do for you?' There's all this attention. And they're looooving it. They're loving having people feel sorry for them. They get extra, you know, home-cooked meals from their neighbors. Ya know, oh ... So to me, I can't stand that. Like when people do that I'm like shut the [expletive] up and get away from me. I don't want your sympathy. I'm over here. On this train. This warrior train."
The recorded speech can be viewed in full here. (It begins at about the seven-minute mark.)
I'm the mother of five children, three with special needs. My adopted twin sons have a diagnosis of autism, probably due to fetal alcohol disorder, and one other biological son has bipolar and autistic traits. I don't know anyone who feels sorry for me. I've never had a neighbor bring me a home-cooked meal. Maybe that's because I, too, am on the warrior train. But it's my own warrior monorail, not the McCarthy "my-way-is-better-than-all-others" railway.
As for wanting attention, I'm not the one posing nude for Playboy, talking about how I'm not going to have my bikini line waxed, and sending my dentist nude pics. I'm a skilled musician and a talented, trained, experienced actress. There are easier ways for me to get attention than rearing children with autism. I know of no families living with this disorder who are fawned over. Mostly they are avoided, rejected and isolated. I wish more people would help families by bringing them a meal, but the sad truth is, they don't.
McCarthy claims her son is "recovered" and yet she home educates him through a school that costs more than $100,000 a year. (I homeschooled my kids for less than $1,000/year.) Most parents who have children with autism don't have a buffet of services, nannies and schools at their disposal. The kinds of treatment that McCarthy touts can be expensive. And when one parent must stay home to care for the child, the family income suffers. It's difficult to put food on the table, pay the light bill, and meet the whole family's financial needs.
McCarthy also ignores the fact that autism is a spectrum disorder, that not all moms' kids will "recover" or respond to certain treatments. Her rhetoric is cruel and damaging to moms doing all they can to hold their heads above water. She is pushing them back under and blaming them for their child's lack of "recovery." Her words give the public another excuse to ignore the very real issues of caring for these kids, and could have negative effects on public policies.
What moms must realize is that McCarthy offers no specific data on the ways her son has recovered. Perhaps he improved as he matured? She can't know this for sure.
Do you think Jenny owes me and other moms rearing kids with autism an apology? Is she out of touch with reality? Are you enjoying being a victim of autism because it gets you attention? Weigh in.
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McCarthy is right
The author calls out Jenny McCarthy for attention-whoring. Then the author goes on to point out how she herself is a skilled mucisian, and talented/experienced actress (as well as a homeschooler), none of which is relevant to the story.
Donald Trump would be justified in calling McCarthy an attention whore.
she pointed out that that she isn't starved for attention because she has those outlets
"It's almost as if they didn't get attention in their lives ... "
"Um...be right back...gotta go pose for my sixth cover of Playboy."
Why is this woman a keynote speaker? It's pretty obvious she is completely disconnected from the majority of families that raise autistic children.
Um, because she's famous?
I see this website removes unpopular opinions. Interesting.
No, we don't remove unpopular opinions, but we do remove posts that violate our community guidelines.
Thanks for bringing it up! I wanted to remind everyone that we love to hear all sides of the issues-but name-calling (including *troll*), abusive and hate speech violate those guidelines. These comments will be removed.
Keep the debate to the content found on the page.
I think there isn't a single parent who wouldn't trade that attention for the chance to have a less impaired child
I personally believe jenny is full of crap on this issue but noone should have to apologize to anyone for stating their opinion or belief
The "recovery" of Jenny's autistic son is like Magic Johnson "surviving" HIV/AIDS. Not very relevant to the masses, not even encouraging.
Jenny McCarthy is a moron. A rich moron. No other explanation necessary.
I am sickened by all the people who follow her advise, as a nurse I have many parents come in and refuse vaccines for their children most of who cite Ms. McCarthy as their resource for information. My baby brother is autistic and my step mother does not play the victim. Ms. McCarthy not only owes you an apology but she owes all parents of autistic children an apology. She makes me sick.
Wow! Just...wow. I don't know who she thinks she is but we've all run into a Jenny McCarthy or two in our lives. The moms who act like they've got all the answers and walk around in a cloud of smugness when really we should be banding together to offer solutions instead of slinging arrows. Someone needs to put this woman back in check before she does any further damage.
Too late.
jennymccarthybodycount.com
Bravo! McCarthy has long been a pathetic, if rich and telegenic, figure. Why the autism community puts up with her--indeed, lionizes her--is beyond me.
Her fight for relevance is dangerous and irresponsible.
Well written article and great to hear from a sound mind on the issue.
she can fight for relevance all she wants.
folks that react to her behavior and speeches are the ones that are dangerous and irresponsible.
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