Holly Robinson Peete has hit out at U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after he claimed that “autism destroys families,” a statement the former View host said “triggered” her.
The 21 Jump Street alum, whose son RJ Peete was diagnosed with autism in 2000, slammed comments made by RFK Jr. at his April 16 press conference, in which he said people with autism will “never pay taxes… never hold a job… never play baseball… never write a poem… never go out on a date. Many of them will never use a toilet unassisted.”
“First of all, that’s just not true,” Holly told People. “We got our diagnosis in 2000, and it feels like I’m transported back in time to a time when we didn’t know as much as we know about autism.”
The Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper actress, who shares RJ with her husband, former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete, said RFK Jr.’s comments reminded her of the day she was given RJ’s diagnosis.
“A developmental pediatrician said he would never speak, he would never have friends… in school, live on his own, have meaningful employment, never drive, never probably have a significant other, never get married,” she recalled.
“I’m not sure why she felt on that day that she needed to sort of doom our three-year-old to all these ‘nevers.’ But in some ways, I’m glad she did because it made me angry. It turned me into a gangster mom,” Holly added.
Reacting to RFK Jr.’s comments, Holly stated, “Autism does not destroy families. But you know what does? Not having access to healthcare. In Black and brown communities, families are not able to even get their kids to the diagnosis of autism so that they can get the interventions and treatments [they need].”
She continued, “Those are the things that destroy families, not autism. So immediately, I was so triggered hearing that because that is just inherently false.”
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Holly also found it interesting RFK Jr. started out by claiming people with autism won’t be able to pay taxes. “He started out with that. And that to me… what are you saying? That they’re going to be a blight on society? That taxpayers are going to have to cover [them]? Besides the fact that my son obviously pays taxes and many people who are on the spectrum pay taxes.”
“He decided to marginalize. And what that’s done has driven a little bit of a wedge in the autism community between those with high-support needs and low-support needs. A wedge like I’ve never seen before, and I’ve been doing this [for] 25 years,” Holly continued.
In 1997, Holly and Rodney founded the HollyRod Foundation, which aims to raise awareness and provide resources for families affected by Parkinson’s Disease and autism.
As for RJ, he is currently working for the Los Angeles Dodgers in this tenth season as a club attendant. Holly said it’s a job that requires “a lot of manual labor” and “long hours,” but she’s “grateful” to the Dodgers for giving her son the opportunity.
“RJ’s only kept this job because he has been supported there. They understand who he is,” she added.
Recently, RJ moved into an apartment closer to work and is now living on his own, something Holly is immensely proud of.
“I really didn’t think that one we were gonna check that one off the list, and he did,” she told People. “He got an apartment and he got a place closer to work so he doesn’t have to drive so far and so late. He loves it. I miss him already.”
