5 Overlooked Autistic Traits In Girls and Women

Autism in girls and women often looks very different from what most people expect. Many are overlooked or misdiagnosed because they don’t fit the typical mold. Instead of obvious social struggles, it might show up as chronic masking, perfectionism, people-pleasing, or intense inner worlds no one sees.

Female autism signs can be subtle — hidden behind good grades, politeness, or the ability to mimic social behavior. But undiagnosed autism in women can lead to burnout, identity confusion, and years of feeling "off" without knowing why.

Understanding how autism looks in women starts by unlearning outdated stereotypes and listening to real lived experiences. Recognizing autism masking in girls is a huge step toward proper support, connection, and self-acceptance.

Have you ever felt like you were working overtime just to seem “normal”?

Credits:
Script Researcher / Writer: Brian Cham
Script Review/Editor: Brandi Ortiz
Script Manager: Kelly Soong
Voice Over: @amandasilvera
Animator/Storyboarder: Evelvaii
Animator Manager: Cindy Cheong
Assisted: Brisky Quach

0:00 intro
1:15 difficulty maintains long-term relationships
2:18 You Have very intense interests
3:08 You internalise
4:15 You mimic the personalities of others
5:13 People take Advantage of You

References:
Hull, L., Petrides, K. V., & Mandy, W. (2020). The female autism phenotype and camouflaging: A narrative review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1-12.,
Lai, M. C., Lombardo, M. V., Pasco, G., Ruigrok, A. N., Wheelwright, S. J., Sadek, S. A., ... & Baron-Cohen, S. (2011). A behavioral comparison of male and female adults with high functioning autism spectrum conditions. PloS one, 6(6), e20835.,
Milner, V., McIntosh, H., Colvert, E., & Happé, F. (2019). A qualitative exploration of the female experience of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(6), 2389-2402.,
O'Toole, J. C. (2018). Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum. Simon and Schuster.,
Van Wijngaarden-Cremers, P. J., van Eeten, E., Groen, W. B., Van Deurzen, P. A., Oosterling, I. J., & Van der Gaag, R. J. (2014). Gender and age differences in the core triad of impairments in autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 44(3), 627-635.

Видео 5 Overlooked Autistic Traits In Girls and Women канала Psych2Go