30 DIVERSEability Magazine www.diverseabilitymagazine.com
FEATURE
Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins is far from a stranger to the acting world. He has been a prominent actor on the scene since the 1960s and re- ceived numerous awards and nominations for his work from the Academy Awards, the Emmys and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. In 2017, Hop- kins announced that he had been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, but prefers to not use the label on his way of thinking, believing that everyone has different ways of thinking that makes them unique. He has, however, credited the symptoms of his Aspergers to his creative visions and the way he acts. Along with his Hollywood career, Hopkins is involved in several phil- anthropic efforts that have helped womens rights, community efforts, rehabilitation programs and educational arts programs.
Source: Autism Society of America, Wikipedia, Behav- ioral Innovations, PEOPLE, Metro
Greta Thunberg
In 2018, the world became acquainted with teenage activist, Greta Thunberg, who gave an address to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, urging world leaders to support climate justice. Now, at 19 years old, she is not only one of the biggest advocates in the world for climate justice, but for indi- viduals with autism. Having Aspergers herself, Thunberg has vocally sup- ported inclusion of people with autism and how she sees her Aspergers as a super power. As part of her environ- mental activism, Thunberg established the Fridays for the Future movement, which encouraged children and teens to take a stand for climate justice. These movements have not only become a worldwide phenomenon, but have unin- tentionally created a community where young neurodiverse people have felt a place of acceptance and inclusion.
BILL TOMPKINS/GETTY IMAGES MICHAEL CAMPANELLA/GETTY IMAGES
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