Should Autism Be "Cured"? Why This Question Misses the Point

There is a question that keeps coming up on social media..

“But what about autistic people who suffer daily and require 24/7 care? Don’t you think we should find a cure for that population?”

Let’s talk about it. Because this whole "cure" conversation? It’s messy, outdated, and honestly, it misses the entire point.

First off, autism isn’t a disease. It’s not something to be "fixed" or erased. But when people talk about a cure, what they often really mean is, "I wish life wasn’t so hard."

And yeah, I get that. But here’s the thing: autism isn’t the problem. The problem is a world that wasn’t built with autistic people in mind.

If society constantly tells you that being autistic is wrong or less than, you might start to believe it. That’s called internalized ableism, and it’s real.

This isn’t just an autism thing—marginalized communities throughout history have faced the same struggle. The message is always the same: "You’d have an easier time if you could just be less...you."

And then there’s the fact that a lot of people who wish for a cure aren’t actually struggling with autism itself. They’re struggling with co-occurring conditions—things like intellectual disabilities, medical challenges, or mental health issues.

But instead of saying, "Let’s get better support and accommodations," the conversation turns to, "Let’s erase autism." Which completely misses the point.

Another problem? People lump all autistic individuals into one category, but that’s not how it works. There’s a difference between syndromic autism (where autism is part of a larger genetic condition, like Rett Syndrome or Fragile X) and non-syndromic autism (which is the majority of autistic people).

Most discussions about "treating" autism focus on syndromic autism, even though that’s a small percentage of the community. And that’s how we end up with misguided assumptions and harmful interventions.

So instead of asking, "How can we cure autism?" maybe we should be asking, "How can we create a society that fully supports autistic individuals?"

Most autistic people don’t want a cure. They want acceptance, accommodations, and understanding.

They want the world to stop acting like neurotypical is the gold standard. And for the ones who do wish for a cure? Maybe what they actually need is better support, not the erasure of who they are.

At the end of the day, the real conversation isn’t about curing autism. It’s about inclusion, accessibility, and the right to exist as neurodivergent individuals.

Because let’s be real—diversity is what actually makes the world function. And that includes autistic brains, just as they are.