“Things affect women differently than men, and women get left out.” – Jane Fonda
Yes, girls are Autistic, we may not show it in the ways you presume, however. For many years, males were the ones scientists focused their attention on when it came to diseases and conditions. Even in the animal kingdom, experts have been solely studying the male of the species, and it’s now been proven that the other half of humanity present with different symptoms.
From animals looking different, to the number of female psychopaths been found to be equal to men, women in all areas are only now being listened to properly. Like everything, however, there is some way to go. As for Autism, for many years females have been assessed in the same way as males. For me, this has been frustrating, knowing that I live with this condition and not been taken seriously.
When I was younger, I was assessed for Autism. As this was in childhood many years ago, I feel now, looking back, I was wrongly assessed. The traits they typically looked for, do not present themselves in females, and as I’ve researched myself, every person is different. Just like a fingerprint, we are not all the same. It makes no sense that every single Autistic person would fit into the same mould.
Geniuses at maths and numbers, not enough eye contact, unable to understand sarcasm and other humour. All tropes typically seen in males with Autism as children. For me, and for some males, this is not the case, I struggled at school with maths and numbers, I must tell myself to stop staring at people and humour is one language I use in everyday life. I do however mask my symptoms, which experts tend not to see. More and more, I’ve read and watched stories from other Autistic females, presenting traits I never knew specifically matched Autism. Being more creative, words and literature are more of my strong suit.
Instead, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety as a teenager. Not wanting to talk in public, acting shy until I came home, where I would let my emotions let loose, all traits, I thought were just me, just a side to my personality. However, as I get older, and information is becoming more widely available through social media, I am finding out more about myself and Autism itself.
I wish that the world would take Autism in girls more seriously. Research has found that Autistic women are more likely to commit suicide than males. I feel I am stuck in a system that cannot think about the bigger picture. Physically, Autism can affect females differently too. Period symptoms are worsened, more conditions such as PMDD are closely linked to Autism. The less doctors and professionals know about this, the harder it is to recognise and get the help needed. From being a teenager, I haven’t been listened to when I share my concerns with my doctor. Much of this is connected to Autism, and yet everything must be anxiety and depression, often mistaken for Autistic traits.
Ever since I can remember, and without me even realising what I had been doing, I would mask who I really am, so as not to appear “strange” in public, by mimicking or watching what I do, as if it’s a bad thing. It is only now, as an adult, I am trying to show the real me in the right circumstances. Autism is often generalised; you can only have Autism if you look like this or act a certain way. I find it less black and white but more colourful than people might assume. Autism is a spectrum, a wide range of traits come from all kinds of people, and especially women, pleading for a diagnosis.
A diagnosis cannot change who I am, but it will help me to understand who I am. For years, I have felt alone, worried that “my little ticks” are just eccentricities, because professionals often measure the same Autistic traits in males as they do in females. I feel there is a way to go, however I have started seeing an improvement for myself. There is less misinformation out there now there is social media. Showing such programmes as “A Kind Of Spark” on CBBC, exploring the world from a teenage girl, who happens to be Autistic, perspective, to more documentary style shows, such as Chris Packham’s episode one of “Inside Our Autistic Minds”, which shows an Autistic woman in her daily life as a comedian.
There is information out there, if you know where to look, I just wish that in the future we are seen as individuals with different needs. Autism isn’t the same for everyone, and especially for women. I would like to be recognised for just being me.
Elizabeth Butler is a disabled writer using a wheelchair. She has a Masters Degree in Creative Writing and has featured in a poetry anthology and has a collection of children’s stories published online. She has self-published several books of poetry and achieved recognition in her local area and has performed at local events.
