Autistic Women Publish Memoirs After Adult Diagnoses Expose Decades-Long Knowledge Gap
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jul 7
Autistic Women Publish Memoirs After Adult Diagnoses Expose Decades-Long Knowledge Gap
2 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jul 7
Summary
Alex Morgan, 62, published her memoir "Mothertongue" this month as part of a wider push by autistic women diagnosed in adulthood to document lives long missed by mainstream autism research and support systems.
Books by Morgan, comedian Fern Brady and author-diagnostician Sarah Hendrickx aim to fill what Brady called an "absolute void of information" for adult women, many of whom had spent years masking symptoms to fit in.
Gina Rippon, whose 2025 book "The Lost Girls of Autism" examined the issue, said male-focused autism research created a self-reinforcing bias that left girls told they were merely shy or would grow out of it.
That diagnostic blind spot carried heavy costs: Morgan and Brady describe burnout and meltdowns, while Rippon warned of high levels of depression and suicidal ideation among undiagnosed autistic women.
Rising late diagnoses have improved visibility, but Rippon said social media claims that autism has become a "fashion accessory" are toxic and could deter women from seeking support.
With diagnoses surging, what hidden health crises are late-diagnosed autistic women now facing from a lifetime of masking?
After decades of being overlooked, are autistic women unlearning their entire identities following a late diagnosis?
The Unseen Majority: How Adult Women Are Driving a New Era in Autism Diagnosis and Acceptance
Overview
For decades, autism was mainly understood through a male lens, as early research and diagnostic criteria focused on how it appeared in boys. This led to a strong bias against recognizing autism in women, causing many autistic females to be underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed and to struggle without proper support. As a result, women often faced significant challenges in getting accurate diagnoses and care, sometimes being labeled with other conditions like anxiety or ADHD. Today, growing awareness and new research are revealing that the gender gap in autism diagnoses is much smaller than once believed, marking a new era of understanding and support for autistic women.