Ari Ne'eman
Encyclopedia
Ari Ne'eman is an American
autism rights activist who cofounded the Autistic Self Advocacy Network
in 2006. On December 16, 2009 President Barack Obama announced that Ari Ne'eman would be appointed to the National Council on Disability
. Ne'eman has a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome
, which would make him the first person with an autistic spectrum disorder to serve on the council. After an anonymous hold was lifted, Ne'eman was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate
to serve on the Council on June 22, 2010.
, where he attended East Brunswick High School
. He displayed obsessions characteristic of Asperger syndrome from an early age - eventually leading up to an interest in public policy
. He engages in stimming
, such as pacing and hand-flapping. He has sensory processing issues
that affect his reactions to certain sounds and textures.
Early in childhood, Ne'eman was verbally advanced and socially isolated
. He was bullied, and in his early teens he struggled with anxiety
and would self-harm
by picking his skin. For a period in high school, Ne'eman went to a segregated special education
school. He was frustrated by the segregated school because he felt it was a "day care" that focused on "normalizing" disabled students instead of challenging them academically. He said that he and his fellow students "were being written off because of what society expects of people with disabilities." Using his advocacy skills, Ne'eman was eventually able to return to a mainstream school.
This experience had a strong affect on Ne'eman's view of the world. He has said that although he himself was successful at returning to a mainstream school, "what is, I think, most frightening to me is that for many students out there that kind of message is absorbed--the idea that they are inferior is absorbed, and that can be very damaging because it really puts a limit on people's potential."
Upon graduating high school, he founded the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. He then attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County where he became a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi
.
and not a disease that should be cured. He is against what he sees as the stigmatization of autism in the media and adopts a "civil rights" perspective when engaging in self-advocacy.
Ne'eman believes that society should focus on developing supports for those with autism rather than searching for a cure. He believes a cure for autism will not come anytime soon and genetic
insight gained on autism may be used to develop prenatal tests
for the condition that will result in the premature termination of autistic fetuses. He urges scientists researching the genetics of autism to be cautious of the ethical implications of their studies.
Proponents of a cure for autism, such as Cure Autism Now co-founder Jonathan Shestack, have criticized Ne'eman for this. Shestack has stated that Ari Ne'eman doesn't understand the suffering those severely affected by classic autism
and their parents endure. Criticism of Ne'eman's views may have been a factor in the hold on his confirmation. However, it has been suggested that Republican senators were intentionally blocking many of President Obama's nominees; in May 2010, there were 96 people waiting to be confirmed to Administration posts.
In addition to being on the NCD, Ne'eman is a public member of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee and a board member of TASH
. He previously was Vice Chair of the New Jersey Adults with Autism Task Force, and served on the New Jersey Special Education Review Committee.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
autism rights activist who cofounded the Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network or ASAN is a 501 nonprofit advocacy organization for individuals on the Autism spectrum, and is run by Autistic people. ASAN believes that the goal of Autism advocacy should be a world in which Autistic people enjoy the same access, rights, and opportunities as...
in 2006. On December 16, 2009 President Barack Obama announced that Ari Ne'eman would be appointed to the National Council on Disability
National Council on Disability
The National Council on Disability was initially established in 1978 as an advisory board within the United States Department of Education to guarantee equal opportunity for people with disabilities. NCD is composed of 15 members, appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by...
. Ne'eman has a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome
Asperger syndrome
Asperger's syndrome that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development...
, which would make him the first person with an autistic spectrum disorder to serve on the council. After an anonymous hold was lifted, Ne'eman was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
to serve on the Council on June 22, 2010.
Personal life
Ne'eman grew up in East Brunswick Township, New JerseyEast Brunswick Township, New Jersey
The town is located southwest of New York City and 48 miles northeast of Philadelphia.Lawrence Brook, a tributary of the Raritan River, runs along the western border of the township...
, where he attended East Brunswick High School
East Brunswick High School
East Brunswick High School is a comprehensive public high school serving students in grades 10 through 12 in East Brunswick Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, operating as part of East Brunswick Public Schools. The school was recognized by the Blue Ribbon Schools Program in the 1990-91...
. He displayed obsessions characteristic of Asperger syndrome from an early age - eventually leading up to an interest in public policy
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
. He engages in stimming
Stimming
Stimming is a repetitive body movement, such as hand flapping, that is hypothesized to stimulate one or more senses. The term is shorthand for self-stimulation. Repetitive movement, or stereotypy, is often referred to as stimming under the hypothesis that it has a function related to sensory input....
, such as pacing and hand-flapping. He has sensory processing issues
Sensory processing disorder
Sensory processing disorder or SPD is a neurological disorder causing difficulties with taking in, processing and responding to sensory information about the environment and from within the own body .For those with SPD, sensory information may be sensed and perceived in a way that is different from...
that affect his reactions to certain sounds and textures.
Early in childhood, Ne'eman was verbally advanced and socially isolated
Social isolation
Social isolation refers to a lack of contact with society for members of social species. There may be many causes and individuals in numerous generally social species are isolated at times, it need not be a pathological condition. In human society, in those cases where it is viewed as a pathology,...
. He was bullied, and in his early teens he struggled with anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
and would self-harm
Self-harm
Self-harm or deliberate self-harm includes self-injury and self-poisoning and is defined as the intentional, direct injuring of body tissue most often done without suicidal intentions. These terms are used in the more recent literature in an attempt to reach a more neutral terminology...
by picking his skin. For a period in high school, Ne'eman went to a segregated special education
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
school. He was frustrated by the segregated school because he felt it was a "day care" that focused on "normalizing" disabled students instead of challenging them academically. He said that he and his fellow students "were being written off because of what society expects of people with disabilities." Using his advocacy skills, Ne'eman was eventually able to return to a mainstream school.
This experience had a strong affect on Ne'eman's view of the world. He has said that although he himself was successful at returning to a mainstream school, "what is, I think, most frightening to me is that for many students out there that kind of message is absorbed--the idea that they are inferior is absorbed, and that can be very damaging because it really puts a limit on people's potential."
Upon graduating high school, he founded the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. He then attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County where he became a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi , the Global Jewish college fraternity, has 155 active chapters in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Israel with a membership of over 9,000 undergraduates...
.
Autistic Self-Advocacy
Ari Ne'eman believes that autism is a neurological differenceNeurodiversity
Neurodiversity is a "controversial concept [that] ... regards atypical neurologicaldevelopment as a normal human difference". According to Jaarsma and Welin , the "neurodiversity movement was developed in the 1990s by online groups of autistic persons...
and not a disease that should be cured. He is against what he sees as the stigmatization of autism in the media and adopts a "civil rights" perspective when engaging in self-advocacy.
Ne'eman believes that society should focus on developing supports for those with autism rather than searching for a cure. He believes a cure for autism will not come anytime soon and genetic
Heritability of autism
The heritability of autism is the proportion of autism that can be explained by genetic variation; if the heritability of a condition is high, then the condition is considered to be primarily genetic...
insight gained on autism may be used to develop prenatal tests
Prenatal diagnosis
Prenatal diagnosis or prenatal screening is testing for diseases or conditions in a fetus or embryo before it is born. The aim is to detect birth defects such as neural tube defects, Down syndrome, chromosome abnormalities, genetic diseases and other conditions, such as spina bifida, cleft palate,...
for the condition that will result in the premature termination of autistic fetuses. He urges scientists researching the genetics of autism to be cautious of the ethical implications of their studies.
Proponents of a cure for autism, such as Cure Autism Now co-founder Jonathan Shestack, have criticized Ne'eman for this. Shestack has stated that Ari Ne'eman doesn't understand the suffering those severely affected by classic autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
and their parents endure. Criticism of Ne'eman's views may have been a factor in the hold on his confirmation. However, it has been suggested that Republican senators were intentionally blocking many of President Obama's nominees; in May 2010, there were 96 people waiting to be confirmed to Administration posts.
In addition to being on the NCD, Ne'eman is a public member of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee and a board member of TASH
TASH (organization)
TASH is an international advocacy association of people with disabilities, their family members, other advocates, and people who work in the disability field. The organization's full name is The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps. TASH operates as a 501 non-profit organization...
. He previously was Vice Chair of the New Jersey Adults with Autism Task Force, and served on the New Jersey Special Education Review Committee.