Ari Ne’eman is a college student diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. He is the founder of the Autism Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN), which works to improve the public perception of autism. Ne'eman believes that autism is a different way of being and not a disease that should be cured. He talks with NHPR's Sheryl Rich Kern, and answers the following questions:
You were diagnosed at age 12. Had you always felt you were different? How did you learn about your autism and how did learning about the diagnosis affect you?
What problems do you see within the current autism advocacy community?