NOFAS Strongly Condemns Offensive Online Attacks on Greta Thunberg Referencing “Fetal Alcohol Syndrome”

The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) is aware of numerous online attacks targeting 16-year old environmental activist Greta Thunberg that offensively misuse the term “fetal alcohol syndrome” in a derogatory manner in an attempt to discredit and humiliate her.

Ms. Thunberg has received international attention through her work on environmental issues (which NOFAS takes no position) and has become a target of online “trolls.”

Several memes pair an image of Ms. Thunberg’s face with an image that displays facial features associated with fetal alcohol syndrome. These memes are blatantly insulting, outrageously ignorant, and deeply offensive.

We are heartened that these offensive memes have often been immediately met with negative criticism on blogs, news sites, and even on the same social media sites that have been used to spread the memes.

Unfortunately, some people in society use “fetal alcohol syndrome” as a derogatory insult. This does great harm and perpetuates the stigma surrounding FASD, when children and adults affected by FASD deserve our understanding and support.

We know that far too many people are not familiar with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and think of “fetal alcohol syndrome” only in terms of facial features, unaware of other aspects of the condition or the wide spectrum of developmental and behavioral effects that are part of our understanding of FASD.

We are hopeful that further education and expanded public awareness of the reality of FASD will reduce the stigma and ensure that all offensive references to FASD be swiftly met with overwhelming condemnation.

We have posted images of some of these offensive memes below, for reference, and so you can avoid visiting the offensive webpages themselves. WARNING: The images are disturbing and deeply offensive.