Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg has been in news lately for her tweets on farmers' protests. The 18-year-old had extended her support to the farmers protesting on the borders of New Delhi against the three farm laws saying that she stands in solidarity with the farmers. "We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India," Thunberg wrote on Twitter on February 2.
After her speech on climate change at United Nations General Assembly in 2019 went viral, she faced some mockery and personal attacks and was criticised in response to her speech.
The 18-year-old has Asperger's, high-functioning autism and OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). Since going public about her diagnosis in 2015, Thunberg has emerged as an inspirational role model for those living with Asperger's. However, ignorance has led to mockery and criticism of Thunberg and her diagnosis, with some media outlets referring to her as "mentally ill" (US News Corp Fox News columnist Michael Knowles), or "deeply disturbed" (Australian News Corp columnist Andrew Bolt).
Asperger's syndrome is a developmental disorder characterised by significant deficiencies in social skills and with non-verbal communication.
Asperger's syndrome is widely thought of as a disorder but that is not how Greta looks at it. She had spoken about her Asperger's syndrome diagnosis after she was criticised over the condition, saying it makes her "different", and that she considers it a "superpower".
"I have Asperger's and that means I’m sometimes a bit different from the norm. And – given the right circumstances –being different is a superpower," she wrote on Instagram in 2019.
"I know many ignorant people still see it as an 'illness', or something negative. And believe me, my diagnosis has limited me before," the Swedish student had stated.
"Before I started school striking I had no energy, no friends and I didn't speak to anyone. I just sat alone at home, with an eating disorder. All of that is gone now, since I have found a meaning, in a world that sometimes seems meaningless to so many people. #aspiepower #neurodiverse #npf," she had written.
In April 2019 Greta described her autism as a "gift" saying: "It also makes me see things from outside the box. I don't easily fall for lies, I can see through things."
What is Asperger's Syndrome?
Asperger syndrome is a developmental disorder. Those who have it, find it difficult to communicate and interact. The syndrome is also characterised by constricted and repetitive patterns. Asperger’s syndrome is now considered to be a part of a wider category called autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
What are the symptoms?
According to WebMD, those who have this syndrome do not generally make eye contact and might seem awkward during social interactions. Exhibiting minimum emotions also counts as a symptom. They also tend to talk about a particular topic with a lot of intensity.
All about Greta Thunberg
A Swedish environmentalist, Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg, born January 3, 2003, gained international recognition when she challenged world leaders to take immediate action against climate change.
From giving a speech at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) in 2018 and World Economic Forum in 2019 to addressing various parliaments such as the British, European and French, Greta has made her mark with exemplary speeches taking forward her cause for climate change. She is also one of the few who has met Pope Francis and in that short meet of the two, the latter apparently thanked her and encouraged her to continue.