Sign in Subscribe

6/5/26 - Friday Video Share: "Are we making life "too easy" for autistic kids?"

Andrew Pulrang

• 3 min read
Share
Simple illustration of an online video screen
Spring flowers illustration
Friday Video

Are we making life "too easy" for autistic kids?
Yo Samdy Sam - May 25, 2026

This autistic YouTuber does a great job deconstructing in a constructive way a particular kind of contrarian rhetoric around autism that seems like it's becoming increasingly popular. It's pretty simple really. Latch onto a couple of typical autism accommodations that everyone can see, and that seem "new" and kind of low-grade annoying – like "ear defenders" and letting autistic students to wear different clothes that stand out. Then tie that in with superficial, grumpy, "kids these days!" moaning about how autistic kids are pandered to, and probably don't even really need those accommodations anyway. And it's not just about autistic children. Disabled people of all sorts and ages run into this sort of griping and stereotyping all the time – where the message is, "We're done accommodating you. It's time for you to adjust to the 'real world' already!" It's mostly garbage. But, Sam is good at identifying the kernels of truth that can be found embedded in the clouds of misinformation and ableism.

Have a terrific weekend everyone!

In June and July, annual paid memberships are discounted at $40. It's a great time to support Disability Thinking Weekday. Just click the "Subscribe or Upgrade" button below to get started.

Subscribe or Upgrade
Make a one-time donation
Spring flowers illustration
Take Action
STOP ANTI-VOTER BILLS NOW with the American Civil Liberties Union, (ACLU)
Join Us in the Continued Fight Against Cuts to Healthcare, Supports & Services - with the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
Urgent: We Must Act to Save the Protection and Advocacy Network - with the National Disability Rights Network
Spring flowers illustration
Comment, Subscribe & Support

Disability Thinking Weekday is a Monday-Friday newsletter with links and commentary on disability-related articles and other content. Please like, share, comment, and subscribe — for free, or with a paid subscription. A free subscription brings a newsletter to your email each weekday, and gives you access to Comments. Benefits of paid subscription also include:

  • A monthly recap with links to all of the previous month's shared articles, organized by topic.
  • Listing as a supporter, and a link to your website if you have one.
  • You can recommend one disability-related article for me to share per month in a weekday post.

To to subscribe, upgrade to paid, or make a one-time donation, click one of the buttons below:

Subscribe or Upgrade
Make a one-time donation

To send a comment, email me at: apulrang@icloud.com.

I am so grateful for your help and engagement, in whatever forms you choose!

Free subscribers: 1,281
Paid subscribers: 48

Spring flowers illustration

Sign up for more like this.

Enter your email
Subscribe