Now Hiring! Leaders needed: Neurotypical males, at least 30 years of age with a world class education and wealth — men who are ready to engage in banal conversation and utter platitudes to dignitaries and bureaucrats while knowing that their indifference threatens the existence of future generations. This teenage girl was anything but. Unafraid of societal norms and opposition from world leaders, she opened the eyes of people internationally by advocating for climate change. Greta Thunberg overcame stigmas against her mental health, education, age, and gender and used her passion for climate change to become one of the most influential and unconventional leaders of all time. 

Thunberg learned about climate change for the first time when she was eight years old. Just the basics were enough for her to be confused as to why people weren’t doing anything about it. She fell into a depression at 11, after a feeling of helplessness drowned her. Her family worried and changed their habits to better suit the climate; for instance, her mother gave up air travel despite being a Swedish Opera Singer and her father went vegan to reduce the use of packaging material and spread of greenhouse gases through animal products (“Greta Thunberg Biography”). Empowered by the change she brought to her own family, Thunberg came to the realization that no effort was too small and that even one person is enough to change the world. Her past depression didn’t stop her from advocating for what she believes in. 

At 12 years old, Thunberg was diagnosed with Aspergers, an autistic disorder where the ability to socially interact is different from that of neurotypicals. People with Aspergers, or Aspies, can focus on the same topics and develop a deep understanding of them. They often have problems with social interactions, but their speech skills are on par with those of a neurotypical individual. Thunberg calls Aspergers her “superpower” and says that people need to think “out of the box” to get solutions for modern problems (Jagannathan). Being an Aspie has helped her advocate for climate change as she is able to concentrate on the same topic and develop a profound understanding of it. Her positive outlook and belief in herself and her abilities has made her a role model for all children, in spite of the restrictions society has put on them. 

Thunberg began advocating by holding a sign outside her school and simply stating “School Strike for the Climate'' while sitting outside of the Swedish Parliament. At 15 years old, she began protesting and began a Fridays for Future movement where she would skip school on Fridays until change came about. Our society places a high importance on education, with a widespread belief that without education one cannot be successful in life, with many students chasing good grades so they can be successful in life. But Thunberg has shown us that an education isn’t everything, that having a Ph.D. and knowledge about science clearly isn’t enough, because one needs to be able to take a stand for what they believe in. She taught herself about climate change and used her words to make a change. Thunberg cited scientific sources to prove over and over again that climate change is real and wreaking havoc on our communities. 

Thunberg has been called a child and was confronted by an avalanche of hate even though she was 17 at the time. She has been attacked by multiple large figures and been called “hysterical,” “disturbed,” and “emotional,” all of which are stereotypically female attributes used to attack and silence her voice (Vertigan and Nelson). Facing misogyny on a daily basis is no easy task, especially for a teenager, and Thunberg shows strength where many would have been crushed, laughing off attacks and remaining true to herself. In fact, she posted on instagram, “When haters go after your looks and differences, it means they have nowhere left to go. And then you know you’re winning!” As a young female Aspie, Thunberg rocks the anyone-can-do-anything sentiment.   

Thunberg was particularly unhappy with how world leaders were treating the climate situation at hand. The Paris Agreement, a document that calls for countries to take part in the prevention and mitigation of climate change so that the increase in global temperature stays under 2 degrees Celsius, was signed by 196 world leaders who pledged to make a change (“The Paris”). When that change didn’t come, Thunberg powerfully retaliated and spoke with conviction at the UN Summit and criticized the inaction of countries. “We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you?” she stated fiercely (Gajanan).  

It’s no surprise that Thunberg was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and was Time's Person of the Year in 2019. Indeed, an ideal leader is one who doesn’t just rely on an education and acceptance, but uses his or her confidence and beliefs to power through. They empower others through their words and actions and don’t work for fame or fans but for the cause they work towards. 

Sometimes, to be great, one needs to be different. To be great one needs to be unconventional. One needs to be ready to do what's necessary regardless of the retaliation from others, regardless of what people say, regardless of their setbacks, and that's exactly what Thunberg did. She is a citizen of this planet before anything else. Overcoming barriers and stereotypes about Aspergers, education, gender and age have helped showcase that nothing can stop her. Her loyalties lie with the earth and her beliefs, and she leads effectively, having started a global movement that is changing the world for the better. Greta Thunberg is everything a leader isn’t expected to be.