In The Politics of Autism, I write: "Support from the general public will be an important political asset for autistic people. Another will be their sheer numbers, since a larger population of identified autistic adults will mean more autistic voters and activists." Previous posts have discussed autistic officeholders and political candidates in California, New York, Georgia, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Han Li at the San Francisco Standard:
Growing up, Bilal Mahmood knew he was different. He struggled with making eye contact, shaking hands, and hugging others. Building friendships didn’t come easily.
In 2021, when he entered San Francisco politics — a world that demands constant social interaction and public speaking — he sought medical help, and in his mid-30s, he was officially diagnosed with Level 1 autism, a mild form of the disorder that affects his communication, behaviors, and ways of thinking.
“There are a lot of misconceptions about autism, and we’re seeing a trend of more people sharing their personal stories,” Mahmood told The Standard in an interview. “We have to destigmatize autism.”
April is Autism Awareness Month, and the newly elected District 5 supervisor, who represents the Tenderloin, Fillmore, and Japantown, is expected to discuss his autism diagnosis at the Tuesday board meeting and plans to use his own history to bring attention and resources to the often-overlooked neurodivergent community.
A tech entrepreneur, Mahmood lost a bid for state Assembly in 2022 but won a seat on the Board of Supervisors in 2024. In private conversations during those campaigns, he said, he was “taken aback” by questions about his ability to hold public office as an autistic person.
