Episode 193: Masking Autism - the Invisibility of High-Masking Girls of Colour

episode

The AutSide Podcast not yet transcribed

▲ 0

Transcript

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet Upvotes decide what gets transcribed next — 0 so far. Sign in to upvote

More from The AutSide Podcast

Episode 452: Pressing Pause—Ethics of Estrangement and Non-Ownership 11 min · 20 Dec 2025

All episodes from The AutSide Podcast →

Report any issue

Source

Recorded05 Apr 2025

Publisherapi.substack.com ↗

Handlerec:2936981

Show notes

“Today’s episode explores how the requirement of visible "impairment" in autism diagnostic criteria leads to the systematic exclusion of high-masking autistic girls of color. These girls are often misread as simply "resilient" due to their ability to cope and comply, a skill developed for survival in environments marked by systemic bias. Their internal struggles and the effort of masking are overlooked, resulting in delayed or denied diagnoses and a lack of necessary support in educational and healthcare settings. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, argues that current diagnostic frameworks fail to recognise the nuances of their experiences, prioritising easily observable deficits over internal distress. Ultimately, Dr. Hoerricks advocates for a shift towards a more compassionate and context-aware understanding of autism, one that values lived experience over externally presented ‘impairment,’ to ensure these girls are seen and supported.” Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/too-high-functioning-to-help-tooLet me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit autside.substack.com/subscribe

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.