Clementine Speaks Out on Autism
A nine-year-old schoolgirl from Berkhamsted has started a campaign to change the language used around autism, and has written to the Prime Minister and started a petition in a bid to make a difference.
Clementine Jenkins, a pupil at Greenway Primary School, has recently been diagnosed with autism – usually called autism spectrum disorder or ASD. She told Berkhamsted Living:
‘I wanted to speak out because it’s something that affects lots of people, not just me. There are over 75 million people in the world that have autism. I just don’t find calling autism a disorder very fair or right. It’s what makes me who I am. I wanted to start this petition so that people actually notice how unfair this is. It is an issue and issues need fixing. I hope by doing this that people are inclined to sign my petition. Let’s make this right together!’
Her Mum Louise added: ‘As we explained more to her about everything she started to say that she didn’t think it was right to call it a disorder because it’s just a part of who she is and that she’s proud of it. This half term she decided that she wanted to try to change this and we looked at various things we could do to try to help her.
‘She wrote the letter herself and I said that we could send it to our local MP and the Prime Minister. We have also sent it to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. In addition to this she wanted to send it to the King and Queen Consort and I suggested the Prince and Princess of Wales might be interested because of their work with mental health.’
Hertfordshire-based ADHD and autism charity Addvance (www.add-vance.org) also publicised Clementine’s story.
Louise added: ‘I am so unbelievably proud of her for taking a stand on something that she believes so passionately in and for trying to change something for the better not just for her but for others too.’
People can sign the petition on Change.org at https://chng.it/yjLRnkZKkJ.