Special Episode: A Conversation with MAHA Moms & Science Communicators About Autism
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Special Episode: A Conversation with MAHA Moms & Science Communicators About Autism

1:32:02 Oct 18, 2025
About this episode
On this special episode—the latest in our series of conversations that bring together people who rarely talk to each other—we hear from different perspectives on autism in a no-holds-barred discussion about this pivotal moment.Joining us are two MAHA moms raising children with autism, Science editor-in-chief Holden Thorp—who was diagnosed with autism as an adult—and Dr. Rachael Bedard, a physician and science communicator. President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have made finding a cause a top issue, putting autism—and the families living with it—squarely in the national spotlight. They’ve pointed to Tylenol use during pregnancy as a possible cause, sounding big alarm bells and triggering backlash.Today, we move past the politics and the noise to ask some bigger questions: Is Kennedy disrupting the status quo—or distorting it? And is this the kind of change that autistic people and parents actually want?Hosts:Brinda AdhikariTom JohnsonMaggie BartlettDr. Mark AbdelmalekGuests:Jennifer Phillips, MAHA mom, has a daughter living with autism, founder Make a Stand 4 AutismHolden Thorp, editor in chief, Science; was diagnosed as being on the ASD spectrum as an adultApril Robinson, MAHA mom, has a son living with autism; works with Voice for ChoiceDr. Rachael Bedard, physician, journalist, works with caregivers managing serious illness Thanks for listening! If you like us, please leave a review, rate us, and please subscribe! Got questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at questions@whyshoulditrustyou.net
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