17:17 09 December 2013
Susan Boyle became a household name after she appeared on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009. Previously, there were claims saying that the fragile singing superstar had brain damage. Now, she reveals for the first time that she has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism.
In an interview with The Observer, the mezzo-soprano said: “I have always known that I have had an unfair label put upon me. That made me more determined to be where I want to be.”
“Asperger's doesn't define me. It's a condition that I have to live with and work through, but I feel more relaxed about myself. People will have a greater understanding of who I am and why I do the things I do.”
The National Autistic Society defines Asperger Syndrome as having “similarities with autism, [though] people with Asperger syndrome have fewer problems with speaking and are often of average, or above average, intelligence”. It adds that they “may have specific learning difficulties”, but do not usually have the “disabilities associated with autism”.