Unmasking the Stigma Behind Autism in Females | Emmy Peach | TEDxUGA
TLDRThis script narrates a personal journey of understanding autism within a family, highlighting the challenges of diagnosis, especially for females. Initially, the narrator's brother was diagnosed with autism, and the family received counseling. The mother's late-in-life diagnosis at 52, after recognizing traits in her daughter, emphasizes the underdiagnosis of autism in girls due to masking behaviors and societal stigma. The script calls for embracing neurodiversity, acknowledging the beauty in the spectrum, and fostering authentic relationships.
Takeaways
- 😀 Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that involves challenges with social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behavior.
- 👦 The speaker initially believed that autism only affected boys and had a narrow definition based on her brother's experience.
- 📊 According to the CDC, about one percent of the world's population has autism spectrum disorder, which is over 75 million people.
- 👩🔬 The speaker's mother discovered unofficial autism traits in females created by Samantha Craft, which led to her own diagnosis at age 52.
- 🧠 The speaker identified with many of these traits and was diagnosed with autism and ADHD at the age of 19.
- 😔 The speaker experienced both relief and grief after her diagnosis, understanding why certain aspects of her life were challenging.
- 🎭 Girls with autism often mask their traits, making it harder for researchers and psychologists to diagnose them.
- 📚 Research shows that girls with autism present differently than boys, leading to a later diagnosis for many females.
- 📈 There is now a greater clinical awareness of gender differences in autism, reducing the gender ratio gap in diagnoses.
- 💡 Embracing and understanding autism can lead to relief, clarity, and acceptance, encouraging individuals to be their genuine selves.
Q & A
What prompted the speaker to learn more about autism?
-The speaker's younger brother was diagnosed with autism when she was eight years old, which led her family to receive counseling to understand autism and how to best support her brother.
What misconception did the speaker initially have about autism?
-The speaker initially believed that only boys could have autism and that it was characterized by an obsession with trains, walking on tippy toes, and being extremely smart.
How did the speaker's understanding of autism change over time?
-The speaker later learned that autism is a spectrum disorder with a wide range of traits and levels of severity, not limited to the characteristics she observed in her brother.
What is the textbook definition of autism provided in the script?
-Autism is defined as a neurodevelopmental disorder that involves challenges with social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behavior.
How did the speaker's mother come to realize she might have autism?
-The speaker's mother identified with many of the traits listed in an unofficial list of autism traits in females created by Samantha Craft, which led her to seek and receive an autism diagnosis at the age of 52.
What traits did the speaker identify with from the unofficial list of autistic traits in girls?
-The speaker identified with traits such as naivety, escaping through imagination and daydreaming, rubbing hands together when happy, oversharing, raising her hand too much in class, having a remarkable memory for certain details, being highly empathetic, and training herself in social interactions by studying other people.
What additional diagnosis did the speaker receive along with autism?
-The speaker was also diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
What emotional response did the speaker have after receiving her autism diagnosis?
-The speaker initially felt a wave of relief because she understood why she thought and interacted the way she did, but this was followed by grief over the difficulties she faced that others found easy.
Why is autism often undiagnosed or diagnosed later in girls?
-Girls with autism often mask their traits by mirroring those around them, which makes their autism less detectable. This masking can lead to anxiety, isolation, and burnout.
What is the 'female autism phenotype' mentioned in the script?
-The 'female autism phenotype' refers to the specific way autism is expressed in girls that does not fit the traditional autistic diagnostic criteria, making it harder to detect compared to autism in males.
How has the understanding and diagnosis of autism in girls changed over the years?
-Awareness of gender differences in autism has increased, leading to more diagnoses in girls. The ratio of boys to girls with autism has changed from 8:1 in 1995 to 3:1 more recently.
What impact does societal stigma have on individuals with autism?
-Societal stigma can prevent individuals from seeking an autism diagnosis and may lead to feelings of embarrassment and judgment from peers, causing many to conceal their diagnosis.
What positive outcomes did the speaker experience after embracing her autism diagnosis?
-The speaker felt relief, clarity, and a better understanding of herself and her brain. She began to embrace her differences and felt happier being autistic.
What is the speaker's message about accepting autism diagnoses and unmasking?
-The speaker encourages those with autism to unmask and be their genuine selves, emphasizing that embracing our differences allows for more authentic relationships and better self-understanding.
Outlines
👨👦 Autism in the Family: A Personal Journey
This paragraph narrates the personal story of the speaker's encounter with autism in their family, beginning with the diagnosis of their younger brother at age five. The family received counseling to understand the condition better. The speaker's early misconception about autism being exclusive to boys was corrected over time. The speaker's mother, after extensive research and self-identification with a list of unofficial autism traits in females, pursued and received her own diagnosis at 52. The speaker, upon hearing these traits, recognized them in themselves and sought a psychologist, leading to a dual diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. This paragraph explores the initial relief and subsequent grief associated with these realizations, as well as the broader implications of autism's underdiagnosis in females.
🎭 Masking Autistic Traits: The Struggle for Social Acceptance
The second paragraph delves into the concept of 'masking' or 'behavioral camouflaging' among autistic girls, who often conceal their traits to fit in and avoid ostracization. This behavior complicates diagnosis, as it makes the presentation of autism in girls less detectable. The speaker discusses a study by Michelle Dean and colleagues that observed the differences in social interaction between autistic and neurotypical children, highlighting how autistic girls may physically join in but do not truly engage in social activities. Masking is shown to have negative effects, such as anxiety, isolation, and burnout. The paragraph also addresses the historical underdiagnosis of autism in females, the changing ratio of diagnosed cases, and the societal stigma that can prevent individuals from seeking a diagnosis. The speaker concludes by encouraging acceptance and celebration of one's diagnosis.
🌈 Embracing Neurodiversity: Breaking Stigma and Finding Authenticity
The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of embracing neurodiversity and the beauty in the spectrum of autism. The speaker calls for individuals with autism to 'unmask' and be their genuine selves, regardless of societal stigma. They advocate for the recognition of the value in differences and the fostering of authentic relationships. The paragraph concludes with a message of hope and encouragement for all, urging the audience to see the worth in being true to oneself and to appreciate the unique perspectives that neurodiversity brings to the world.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Autism
💡Masking
💡Diagnosis
💡Stereotypes
💡Neurotypical
💡Social Communication
💡CDC
💡Behavioral Camouflaging
💡Empathy
💡Stigma
Highlights
At the age of eight, the narrator's family received counseling after her younger brother was diagnosed with autism.
The counselor mistakenly told the narrator and her sister not to worry about autism as it only affects boys.
The narrator's initial perception of autism was limited to stereotypical behaviors observed in her brother.
Autism is defined as a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting social communication and behavior.
Approximately 1% of the world's population, over 75 million people, have autism spectrum disorder.
Autism presents a wide range of traits and severity levels, contrary to the narrator's early understanding.
The narrator's mother discovered a list of unofficial autism traits in females, leading to her own diagnosis at 52.
The narrator identified with many of the traits on the list, prompting her to seek a psychological evaluation.
The narrator was diagnosed with both autism spectrum disorder and ADHD at the age of 19.
The diagnosis brought initial relief but was followed by grief over the challenges faced due to autism.
The difficulty in diagnosing autism in females is partly due to their tendency to mask autistic behaviors to fit in.
Masking, or behavioral camouflaging, is a common strategy used by autistic girls to appear neurotypical.
A study by Michelle Dean and colleagues observed the differences in how autistic boys and girls mask their behaviors.
Masking can lead to anxiety, isolation, and burnout due to the constant pretense of being someone else.
There is a female autism phenotype that does not fit traditional diagnostic criteria, making it less detectable.
The ratio of autism diagnosis between boys and girls has shifted from 8:1 to 3:1 due to increased awareness.
Stigma around autism can prevent individuals from seeking a diagnosis and affect social acceptance.
The narrator encourages embracing one's autism diagnosis and celebrating the diversity of the autism spectrum.
Increasing research on autism in girls is helping to break down stigma and promote understanding.
The narrator emphasizes the importance of authenticity in relationships and self-acceptance.
Transcripts
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