When society thinks of gendered healthcare issues, the first thing that comes to mind is often related to reproductive healthcare: abortions, birth control, and whether or not menstrual products should be free. However, reproductive care is not the only area where the medical system has, and continues, to fail women. According to the Australian Psychological Society, 80% of autistic females remain undiagnosed at age 18. Why is this? A lack of research is, of course, to blame, but harmful stereotyping plays an undeniable role.
In the media, autism is depicted in mostly one way. A young, white, cisgender man who is noticeably different from his peers. Think of Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds and Shaun Murphy from The Good Doctor. If you try to look up autistic female characters or representations in media, you usually only find fancasts.
“But how does that cause harm?” you might ask. For one, it leaves neurodiverse women feeling left out and underrepresented. It causes them to be met with accusations of “faking it” when they open up to their peers about their struggles or act in ways neurotypical women may not. And most harmful of all? It leaves them overlooked by the people who are supposed to be able to help them: the healthcare system. The combination of little research and harmful stereotyping leads to women being misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all, simply because they don’t “act” or “look” autistic.
Although all autistic people experience obsessive and intense fascinations (also known as special interests), when it comes to women, these interests often align closely with those of their neurotypical peers, including art, animals, celebrities, music, fashion, and beauty. Because of this, women are often told by society and the healthcare system alike that they are “too pretty” to be autistic, as if putting on makeup and a cute outfit automatically erases the struggles one faces.
However, this harmful thinking doesn’t just do damage to women seeking help; it also reinforces harmful stereotypes that autistic people cannot be attractive or have to act a certain way in order to be valid. As with any condition addressed in healthcare, mental or physical, no two cases present the same. When not only one person, but society as a whole, is telling you that the real, everyday experiences that you live aren’t valid, it can create feelings of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness amongst a group of people that already struggle to exist in a world that is not built for them.
ScienceDirect states that their research indicates that autistic women are at a higher risk of mental health challenges than autistic men or non-autistic people. One of the top reasons for this? “…gendered socio-cultural factors shaping the presentation and perception of autism in females.” the article reads. Essentially, how culture and society as a whole shapes and stereotypes the ideas of what autism is, who can have it, and what it looks like.
So, how can we as feminists dismantle the harmful rhetoric surrounding statements like “But you’re so pretty! You couldn’t possibly be autistic!”? The first thing we can do is rethink our own ideas surrounding neurodivergence. By educating ourselves on the different ways neurodivergence and autism in age, gender, race, etc, we can be better equipped to educate those around us on how stereotyping and the healthcare system affect autistic women.
We can also listen to the voices of marginalized autistic people, such as women and people of color. All too often, campaigns for autism research and funding only highlight the experiences of white, cisgender, autistic men. By listening to and advocating for people who do not experience the same level of care from the healthcare system nor the same amount of funding by charities, we can create a society that listens to all people and uplifts the community as a whole, regardless of gender or ability.