Autistic Women: Perspectives by Hannah Gadsby, Kayla Crome, Daryl Hannah, Sue Ann Pien, Zhara Astra, Julie Bjelland

"Autism informs everything that I do - it's you know my processing unit so it's how the information goes in and out. So it's always informed me. Since being diagnosed, it's helped me understand that I'm not a rubbish person - I just think about things differently." Hannah Gadsby

"Autism doesn't define me." Kayla Cromer

"In the 60s doctors recommended to my mom to put me on some medications and institutionalize me, and I'm so thankful that she didn't." Daryl Hannah

"I was groomed from such a young age, to hide all of the strange peculiarities of even my autism." Sue Ann Pien

"Diagnostic criteria are developed using white boys and men, failing to serve many neurodivergent girls and women." Zhara Astra

"Past diagnostic criteria were inaccurate, particularly when it came to recognizing Autism in women, and estimates suggest that up to 80% of Autistic women may be undiagnosed..." Julie Bjelland, LMFT

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See page The Sensitive Autistic Neurotype: Autism Resources Page by Julie Bjelland, LMFT, specializing in Highly Sensitive People, Neurodiversity, and Autism in Women:

* Free Guide: Embracing Neurodiversity in the Workplace

* Autistic Energy Crash Recovery Guide (Free)

* Adult-Discovered Autism Group (inside community)

* Course: Discovering You’re Autistic As an Adult

* Autism in Women - information and research.

* Free Autism Quiz

* Autism Podcast Episodes

* Research: HSPs & Autism Similarities & Differences

… and more

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"When somebody tells me to "stop being so sensitive", I feel a little bit like a nose being lectured by a fart. I am not the problem.”- Hannah Gadsby (from her special Nanette, on Netflix, 2018; meme by ifunny)

Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah Gadsby.

Her audio in this podcast episode is from this video: Hannah Gadsby Explains How Her Autism Informs Her Comedy | The View Mar 30, 2022.

Excerpt video:

Image of Hannah Gadsby (top left in collage) is from Vox podcast ep. Hannah Gadsby on comedy, free speech, and living with autism.

Kayla Cromer

"Autism doesn't define me. I want to be a part of different genres in film and bring light to different characters." From People article Kayla Cromer Opens Up About Breaking Boundaries on TV: 'Autism Doesn't Define Me'.

Audio is from video: Actress' leading role is a 1st for people on the autism spectrum, Good Morning America, May 2021.

Daryl Hannah

Audio is from this video: Autism and Women - Actor Daryl Hannah from interview with Dan Rather

Sue Ann Pien

Audio is from podcast: Cast Of "As We See It" Discusses Autism in Adulthood.

Image of Sue Ann Pien in collage (lower left) is from her imdb page.

Zhara Astra

article: We Need Better Diagnostic Tests for Autism in Women By Zhara Astra, Scientific American.

Her LinkedIn page.

My related podcast episode:

Julie Bjelland

Therapist Julie Bjelland, LMFT identifies as autistic, and writes:

"In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of Highly Sensitive women seeking and receiving Autism diagnoses in adulthood.

"Past diagnostic criteria were inaccurate, particularly when it came to recognizing Autism in women, and estimates suggest that up to 80% of Autistic women may be undiagnosed..."

"Learn more about my research in understanding traits that overlap in high sensitivity and Autism in women, join my Autistic Women’s Support Group, or learn more about getting an Autism Assessment with the updated criteria!"

See her posts "Navigating the Challenges of Autism Diagnosis as an Adult Woman" and "Unmasking Autistic Traits in Women: Could You Be Autistic?" in her HSP Blog.

Also see her page Resources for Autistic HSPs - includes Autism Education, Support Group for Autistic Women, Autism Quiz, Research: HSPs & Autism Similarities & Differences, and more.

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Related resource page:

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