Author: Lara Mudie Latta
What happens when the very systems meant to help you refuse to see who you are? For neurodivergent women, they aren’t just misheard within medical spaces, they are erased.
When receiving medical help, surveys show that women are much more vulnerable to medical gaslighting. A government-led study conducted in 2022 revealed that 84% of women felt that NHS medical professionals were not listening to them. The report published in 2021 also highlighted that 31% of the respondents waited over ten years for their diagnosis. Women are so often dismissed or ignored in the medical environment.
It is no surprise that women in the neurodivergent community also experience the same unpleasant treatment. The intersectional link between neurodivergence and feminism has gained traction in recent years, but how important really is the link?
The terms Neurodiversity and Neurodivergent were first coined in 1998 by autistic Australian sociologist Jody Singer. Following this, Cognassist, an advocacy company, described the concept as “acknowledging the diversity of how we think, learn, and process the world around us.”
Research in the Neurodivergent community
Multiple studies have shown that neurodivergent women get diagnosed later than men.
One study shows that while men usually get diagnosed in their teens, women often don’t get diagnosed until well into adulthood. The Association for The Child and Adolescent Mental Health conducted a study of 85,000 individuals and the results showed on average women get diagnosed 4 years later at 23 years old, compared to men who at the very latest are diagnosed by 19 years old.
This is likely a result of the research surrounding neurodiversity, which is based on how men display symptoms. A study conducted in 1943 by Austrian-American psychiatrist Leo Kanner to explore symptoms of ADHD observed 11 children aged 2-8. In the study, there were four times as many boys compared to girls. This study was one of the first and was used for many years to support the framework for neurodivergent children. This is one of many examples that highlights the longstanding bias within medical research to focus on men and boys.
In recent years, neurodivergent traits in women have become more recognised and are slowly overcoming damaging stereotypes. For example, ‘the symptoms of neurodiversity only affect men or don’t affect adults’. Despite this, these systemic beliefs take time to alter and adapt, meaning women are still under-researched in neurodivergence studies.
Why are women overlooked?
Women are often overlooked for a diagnosis due to several factors. For example, women are more likely to ‘mask’ in social settings. Masking is the ability to hide and present oneself as what is considered socially acceptable. There is also the element of living in a patriarchal society, which means that the ableism many women face is also compounded by sexism.
ND women are also more likely to experience double standards from both within and outside the community. For example, they are criticised in the workplace for their work efficiency, while their male counterparts’ mistakes are overlooked. Simultaneously experiencing sexism and ableism.
Teachers are also less likely to refer female students for potential neurodivergent traits at school level. Early studies were based on white hyperactive boys, and these findings have helped shape modern-day assessment criteria. Teachers are typically less concerned by students with less disruptive symptoms, resulting in many girls flying under the radar and missing key help in their development.
Another recent theory suggests that hormones alter the ADHD presenting symptoms, which may also be present at the same time. However, these traits are then confused with hormonal changes that may show up, such as anxiety or emotional volatility. As a result, women can be misdiagnosed and therefore receive insufficient treatment.
What does being left with undiagnosed neurodivergence mean?
A prolonged diagnosis process with neutral or even unsympathetic doctors can be detrimental to women’s quality of life. According to an article in Addititude magazine, women left with undiagnosed ADHD are more susceptible to feelings of disorganisation, and at a higher risk of requiring mental health treatment. They also are at a higher risk of self-medicating with drugs or alcohol or eating disorders. This is due to women most likely internalising the ableism they receive in the outer world. But like other structures of oppression, the concept of “disability” is created by society.
In the wider world, without equal research and respect for research highlighting neurodivergent traits in women, TV shows and films can continue to perpetuate harmful stereotypes and inaccurate caricatures or ‘coded’ characters. One of the main characters from The Big Bang Theory is an example of a ‘coded’ character. The show has been criticised in the past for perpetuating stereotypes of an autistic individual. In 2021, The Adams Family reboot, Wednesday aired, while much of Autistic Twitter was singing the show’s praises for a (albeit coded) autistic individual in the title character, there was still criticism from the community, pointing out the double standards of enjoying watching a quirky goth girl with autistic traits but finds the same traits annoying in individuals they meet in day to day life.
Without equal recognition, the rate of hate crimes against differently abled individuals will continue to remain at a high percentage. A 2025 survey from charity United Charity stated that while 11,719 incidents were reported to the police and other authorities, 70.1 % admitted to not reporting hate crimes they experienced.
So why is there a link between feminism and Neurodivergence?…
As mentioned before, neurodivergent women are more vulnerable to being discriminated against due to a lack of understanding. This is due to an unequal amount of research conducted alongside dealing with more medical gaslighting and outdated ideas of both women and neurodivergence. These problems are also exacerbated by rigid sexist attitudes, and ultimately are byproducts of a patriarchal society.
This shows the need for women’s equality, which feminism strives for. Neurodivergent women consequently often turn to feminism as a result of such negative treatment, to find a deep sense of justice, realising it is the same fight for ND women as it is for the rest of the feminist community.
… and what resources are out there?
Various charities and organisations, such as the National Autistic Society, the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), the ADHD Foundation, or Tourettes Action, offer information to those seeking support. This information covers not only different neurodivergent traits. They also support how they impact day-to-day life and what reasonable adjustments can be made. The University of Edinburgh created a free curriculum called LEANS (learning about Neurodiversity at School) that was first tested in Scottish primary schools in 2021. The resource pack introduced 8-11-year-old students to the concept of neurodiversity and how it can impact them at school.
Employers who want to create a more inclusive workforce work with companies like Acas or Cognassist to investigate potential reasonable accommodations, known as reasonable adjustments or RA, for neurodivergent or disabled employees.
Online spaces like Facebook groups or different individuals sharing lived experiences on TikTok accounts help create an online community.
Arguably, one of the most well-known TikTokkers in the space raising awareness is @adhd_love. Roxie, also known as the singer Rory, shares her experiences with having a late diagnosis of ADHD, which helped her get sober. She shows her life and assists Neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals alike in learning about what effect ADHD can have, helping to spread her story and disseminate misinformation. She has also written a book called Dirty Laundry about her past struggles, helping to normalise non-neurotypical ways of behaving to her viewers.
These resources can help women struggling with their identity find the help they need and a community. They can realise another form of oppression, see that nothing is wrong with them.
Background used in feature image from Depositphotos.
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