AUTISM IN WOMEN: THE DECADES-LONG DIAGNOSTIC GAP
For decades, autism has been largely understood through a male lens. Research, diagnostic criteria, and societal perceptions have predominantly focused on how autism manifests in boys and men. This has left a significant and often devastating diagnostic gap for women and girls. In the UK, this gap means countless women have gone through life without understanding their neurodivergence, facing unnecessary challenges and often misdiagnosis. Why has this been the case, and what are the far-reaching consequences?