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Autistic women
Right now, we are at a record high of just beginning to scratch the surface of understanding autism in women. Historically, most data on autism has been derived from studies focused on white cisgender males, both young and old, without much discrimination. According to the CDC, autism is four times more likely to be diagnosed in boys than in girls. However, this statistic fails to account for the phenomenon of masking, which is especially prevalent among women.
What is masking, you ask? It is the act of hiding or compensating for autistic traits to appear neurotypical, often to fit societal expectations. Masking can also lead to misdiagnoses or missed diagnoses entirely, as autistic traits are overlooked or misunderstood. In recent years, more adult women have been receiving autism diagnoses, shedding light on the significant underdiagnosis of autism in females.
Women are often criticized for autistic traits such as bluntness and honesty — traits that society tends to tolerate more in men. This reflects long-standing gender discrimination, as autistic girls and women often do not receive the support and accommodations they need during childhood. By adulthood, it becomes even harder to access those supports.
Workplaces, in particular, are ill-equipped to understand and accommodate autistic women. Employers may assume that someone who appears able-bodied should intuitively understand social norms and workplace expectations, leading to unfair comparisons to neurotypical counterparts. Without proper education about autism — especially…