Autism in Women: The Hidden Reality

Women are increasingly sharing their experiences after receiving adult diagnoses of autism. For decades, the condition was largely understood through the lens of how it presented in males, leading to a significant lack of recognition for women and girls. Many affected women spent years developing coping mechanisms, often referred to as masking, to navigate social situations and blend in.

Resources for understanding autism were scarce for adult women. Individuals like comedian Fern Brady found information primarily through online platforms like TikTok, often shared by younger people. Diagnostic professionals, like Sarah Hendrickx, who specialized in diagnosing autism in boys and men, found it challenging to apply this knowledge to themselves until later in life. These personal accounts highlight the historical underdiagnosis and the evolving understanding of autism's varied presentations.