Greta Thunberg Shuts Down 'the Haters' on Twitter: 'Don't Waste Your Time Giving Them Attention'
Greta Thunberg is clapping back at her “haters” and anyone who refuses to believe that climate change is real.
The Swedish 16-year-old climate activist, who gave an impassioned speech at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York on Monday, shared her thoughts on Twitter on Wednesday about those who are choosing to point out her “differences.”
“Here we go again… As you may have noticed, the haters are as active as ever – going after me, my looks, my clothes, my behaviour and my differences. They come up with every thinkable lie and conspiracy theory,” Thunberg, who was nominated for a 2019 Nobel Peace Prize back in March, wrote to begin her thread.
“It seems they will cross every possible line to avert the focus, since they are so desperate not to talk about the climate and ecological crisis. Being different is not an illness and the current, best available science is not opinions – it’s facts,” she continued.
“I honestly don’t understand why adults would choose to spend their time mocking and threatening teenagers and children for promoting science, when they could do something good instead. I guess they must simply feel so threatened by us,” Thunberg went on, before concluding, “But don’t waste your time giving them any more attention. The world is waking up. Change is coming wether they like it or not.
“See you in the streets this Friday!” referencing the ongoing climate strikes she has been leading.
Thunberg added several hashtags as well: “#fridaysforfuture #schoolstrike4climate #climatestrike #aspiepower“
On Tuesday, Thunberg shared a similar tweet, discussing how although her Asperger’s diagnosis is something that her “haters” target her for, she doesn’t let it get her down. Since sharing the tweet, she has become role model for others with Asperger’s, even igniting the hashtag “Autistics for Greta” on Twitter.
“When haters go after your looks and differences, it means they have nowhere left to go,” she said in her Tuesday tweet. “And then you know you’re winning! I have Aspergers and that means I’m sometimes a bit different from the norm. And – given the right circumstances- being different is a superpower.”
According to Autism Speaks, Asperger’s is characterized by having difficulty with social interactions, restricted interests, a desire for sameness and distinctive strengths, like “remarkable” focus and persistence, an aptitude for recognizing patterns and attention to detail.
Thunberg has certainly turned those characteristics into her superpowers, as she has not only spoken to Congress and the U.N., but led the largest climate strike of all time last Friday.
School strike. Week 57. New York City. #ClimateStrike #FridaysForFuture #schoolstrike4climate
A post shared by Greta Thunberg (@gretathunberg) on Sep 20, 2019 at 9:58am PDT
Speaking about her diagnosis, she told CBS This Morning earlier this month that “it can definitely be an advantage to have some kind of neurotypical diagnosis, to be neurodiverse, because that makes you different, that makes you think differently.”
“And especially in such a big crisis like this, when we need to think outside the box,” she continued. “We need to think outside our current system, we need people who think outside the box and who aren’t like everyone else.”
Thunberg arrived in New York in late August after a two-week voyage aboard a solar-powered sailboat to avoid flying. The teenager has also been leading youth climate strikes for the past several months, and founded “Fridays for Future,” a global movement that encourages students to walk out of their classrooms against inaction toward climate change.
