Clain Udy is the author of the new book Rebranding Autism: A Guide to Seeing Strength on the Spectrum. He is the president and founder of the group Autism Elevated.
Q: Why did you decide to write Rebranding Autism, and how was the book’s title chosen?
A: I’ll start with the title, because it holds the heart of the message.
Despite public campaigns to improve autism awareness, and create a more understanding perception of autism, the lived experience of autistic people tells a harder truth: autism has a poor, even abysmal, brand image.
A few examples underscore this:
Autistic students are among the most bullied in schools worldwide.
Marginalization and stigmatization is a universal experience.
The vast majority of autistic adults face unemployment or underemployment, despite having extraordinary abilities—often beyond their neurotypical peers.
When parents first receive an "autism," they become absorbed in a grim narrative and respond with fear, grief, and loss.
Media representations focus on the tragedy and burden of autism. Even in positive portrayals, like the "autistic savant," the person is still framed as ultimately disabled.
The language surrounding autism is saturated in deficit–terms like dysfunction, disorder, delay and deficiency dominate medical, academic, and even family language.
In addition to these overtly negative examples is the utter invisibility of autistic strengths. Outside of a few famous examples, most autistic strengths are unseen and uncelebrated. People are either unfamiliar with the signature strengths associated with autism, or they are too distracted by the atypical behaviors of autism to fully acknowledge them.
As the father of an incredible autistic son, I know this intimately. Even with all my love for him, I once viewed him through a deficit lens. My wife and I were trying to nudge him as close to “normal” as possible. We masked his differences as we tried to integrate him into a world that wasn’t designed for him.
But over time, I rejected that mindset. I stopped chasing the idea I refer to as the "supernormal" and started seeing and nurturing his real strengths. That shift changed everything—for him, and for us (his parents).
Through my work with other autistic individuals and families in the First Ascent program, I saw the same story repeating: immense, often unseen talents, and lives weighed down by a false narrative, and strengths that are never really seen, recognized, or expressed.
In short: the brand image is not what autistic people deserve, nor is it aligned with reality. It is fear-based, deficit-focused, and damaging. My mission is to reshape that narrative. Because when we see strength, we change perception. And when perception changes, lives change.
Q: What would you say are some of the most common perceptions and misconceptions about the autism spectrum?
A: One common misconception is that autism is an external affliction—like a disease—that causes autistic behaviors. While the exact cause isn’t known, most agree it’s largely genetic. Simon Baron-Cohen points out that autism is a natural part of human diversity, sharing genetic roots with cognitive profiles of strong systematizers (Pattern Seekers), who have driven much of human innovation.
Another is the idea that not much is going on in the minds of autistic people—that they’re disconnected, lost in some private interior world.
In the book, I reference Chris Packham’s explanation that, unlike neurotypicals who filter and generalize, autistic people take in everything—massive amounts of sensory and data input. Brain scans (like Temple Grandin’s) illustrate this. If people could see inside autistic minds, they’d be shocked at how much cognitive activity is happening.
Third, autistic people are often defined by “bad behaviors.” Many see atypical behaviors—especially in children—and assume autism equals misbehavior. But, as I explain in the book (and Barry Prizant emphasizes in Uniquely Human), these behaviors are coping mechanisms.
For example, meltdowns aren’t tantrums aimed at getting something; they’re responses to sensory overload. Prizant argues that these behaviors are not random or pathological but have an underlying rationale.
Finally, there’s the belief that autism is easily recognizable–that you can “see” when someone is autistic–autism isn’t something people “have” visibly—many characteristics (need for routine, communication differences, repetitive behaviors) are human traits we all share to some degree.
We live and work alongside people every day who might be on the spectrum, and exhibit the signatures of autism, but go unrecognized–again, it’s a matter of degree, not of kind.
Q: The book is partly a memoir and partly a guide, as your website notes--what did you see as the right balance between the two as you wrote the book?
A: Originally, I planned for the entire book to be a memoir. I thought the principles and strategies for identifying and developing strengths could be woven naturally into the narrative.
But as I outlined the book, it became clear I needed to include a more practical guide—something parents, educators, and workplace leaders could actively use to see and build strength in autistic people.
That said, I felt the memoir was essential to bring these ideas to life, to connect with other families' experiences, and to serve as the emotional anchor. So, I structured the book with the first half as memoir, setting up the second half as a hands-on guide.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from your book?
A: We, as parents, are the torchbearers of our children’s identities. I want parents to see their autistic children differently—so their children can, in turn, see themselves differently.
Rebranding starts in the home and radiates outward. Families are in the best position to reshape their own view of autism, helping their children build a stronger self-image, and teaching others to see autism through that same lens.
At the very least, I hope to give families the inspiration, framework, and language to rebrand autism at home, and from there, educate their communities, schools, and workplaces to change the broader narrative.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Right now, my focus is on building and expanding Autism Elevated. It’s really an extension of the ideas in the book—moving from rebranding autism in theory to operationalizing it in the real world.
Through Autism Elevated, we’re helping autistic adolescents and young adults see their own strengths, build their identity around those strengths, and create clear, achievable career pathways.
We’ve developed two programs: First Ascent, designed for young adults navigating the early stages of career exploration, and Peak Potential, which is geared toward adolescents starting to understand their strengths and how those can shape their future.
Both programs are grounded in the belief that when you align environment, opportunity, and self-understanding, autistic individuals can not only thrive but exceed expectations.
What excites me most is seeing the shift that happens when families adopt this strengths-first mindset. We’re not just preparing individuals for the workplace—we’re changing the way parents see their children and changing the way autistic people see themselves.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: When RFK Jr. recently announced his focus on finding a cure for autism, it resurfaced emotions I had long since moved past. While I respect any effort grounded in science and aimed at improving the lives of autistic individuals, I’ve come to two firm conclusions.
First, autism is largely genetic — an inherent part of human diversity.
Second, while I remain open to research that enhances quality of life, I do not see my son as broken, and therefore not in need of fixing. In fact, it is because of his autism that he possesses the signature strengths that make him the remarkable person he is. I would never want to change that.
My role as a parent is not to chase cures, but to act as a gardener — cultivating the environment in which my son can thrive. I pay partial attention to what the botanists are studying, but I never allow the search for external solutions to overshadow the daily, essential work of nurturing the strengths already growing within my child.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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