Law Schools

Law Student With Autism Will Compete To Become Next Miss Virginia

She wants to 'spread awareness about the misrepresentations and the misconceptions people have about autism.'

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Hallie Hovey-Murray (Photo via LinkedIn)

“What people forget is that autism is a developmental disability, it’s not a learning disability. We’re not all nerdy guys who are good at math like Sheldon on the ‘Big Bang Theory.’ We come in all shapes and sizes.”

Meet Hallie Hovey-Murray, a third-year student at William & Mary Law School. During her time at William & Mary, Hovey-Murray has been invited to become a leadership fellow, selected to compete as a member of the school’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Team, and served as president of school’s chapter of the Children’s Advocacy Law Society. She also has autism.

Hovey-Murray struggled in school for years and faced misdiagnosis after misdiagnosis before finally being correctly diagnosed with autism when she was around 10 years old. Now, she refuses to let that diagnosis define her. “It’s so important to me to spread awareness about the misrepresentations and the misconceptions people have about autism,” she says.

Hovey-Murray, who currently holds the title of Miss Commonwealth 2019, will soon compete in the annual Miss Virginia competition, where she’ll be the only contestant with autism. Under her current title, she speaks to groups across Virginia about how to create more inclusive environments for students on the autism spectrum.

I hope to have a paradigm shift to see these students as the bright, unique, amazing individuals that they are. These kids have unique challenges that every other child does, too. It’s important to recognize they aren’t any less worthy of having equal opportunities.

When Hovey-Murray graduates, she says she’d like to continue her work with children on the autism spectrum and do pro bono work related to school accommodations for children with disabilities.

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Best of luck to Hallie Hovey-Murray as she competes for the crown of Miss Virginia.

How one young Richmond woman with autism is going to law school, competing for Miss Virginia and being an outspoken advocate for change [Richmond Times-Dispatch]

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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