(Autistic) Girls on Film? An Analysis of Autistic Female Characters in Media and Fan Interpretations

• By: Emily “Ly” Stewart, BA(Hons), MSc Media Psychology Graduate and Journalist
• October 2nd, 2023
• actually autistic, actually autistic female characters, authenticity, Fall 2023 Issue, fan interpretations, female autism phenotype theory, female representation, gender expectations, headcannoning, identification, media portrayal, relationships, social skills, special interests, stereotypes, TV and film
• 3459    0

Contrary to popular belief, autistic characters in TV and film are nothing new. The first instance of an autistic person being portrayed o-screen is popularly believed to be Amanda from the 1969 crime drama Change of Habit, starring Elvis Presley and Tyler Moore. Initially, the little girl is...

Advocacy on Behalf of Less-Impaired Autistics

• By: Karl Wittig, PE Aspies for Social Success (AFSS)
• January 2nd, 2023
• actually autistic, advocacy, division, less-impaired autistics, media portrayal, polarization, self-disclosure, Winter 2023 Issue
• 1373    1

In the more than two decades since my diagnosis, I have attended countless autism community events of just about every kind, not to mention numerous others in which issues concerning autism somehow came up. In virtually all of these, I routinely disclosed that I was on the autism spectrum and on...