Tyra and Twiggy and… autism?
by Matt
Never in a million years did I think I would ever read the names Tyra Banks, Twiggy, Enrique Iglesias and autism in the same article. But then I read a recent New York Times piece that focused on a 21-year-old art student from Valparaiso, Indiana named Heather Kuzmich.
Kuzmich has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. Like so many others who share her diagnosis, she had difficulty throughout her life navigating the social world. Sounds like a pretty standard story so far, but here’s the catch…
Kuzmich was a recent contestant on the reality show America’s Next Top Model. On the show, 13 women compete for management and representation by a major talent agency, a $100,000 cosmetics contract, and a cover and spread in a fashion magazine. When asked what motivated her to audition for the show, Kuzmich responded “I was at a point in my life where I was thinking either Asperger’s was going to define me, or I was going to be able to work around it.”
Work around it she has. Not only was Kuzmich a finalist in the competition — viewers voted her “Cover Girl of the Week” for a record nine consecutive weeks. The competitive nature of the show inevitably led to challenging moments — living in a house with 12 roommates would be challenging for many of us! The struggles and triumphs of being a young woman living with a disorder were played out in front of a national television audience on a weekly basis — Kuzmich handled herself with grace and style throughout.  Â
“The Future of Fashion” is the catch phrase from this season of America’s Next Top Model. We can only hope that the future of all individuals with autism, and similar disabilities, has as bright a future as what lies ahead for Heather Kuzmich.