Traits autistic women tend to have.

Autism in women is not distinctly different to autism in men. It just has a tendency to present in a somewhat different way due to how young girls are socialised compared to young boys. Autistic women tend to mask more and so go under the radar as autistic more than autistic men (though there are plenty of autistic men who mask and plenty of autistic women who don't/can't mask).

If you are wondering what masking is, in the scientific definition masking is the conscious or unconscious suppression or hiding of elements of a person's identity. This is often referred to as a social survival strategy – used to conform to expected 'norms', cope with situations or environments, or avoid expressing anxiety.

But in my words, masking is the moulding of one’s mask, which is controlled by the reflection of the society around them, and the mask symbolizes the comfort a shield away from society, and one of the passages into their own world.

The main traits of an autistic woman if their masking is…..

1. Preparing jokes ahead of time or phases ahead of time for a future conversation.

2. Forcing yourself to make eye contact.

3. May experience high levels of anxiety at school, but mask this at school, only to display distressed behaviours once they are home.

The Main traits of an autistic woman are….

1. May appear more social but find it difficult to understand

social hierarchy, be on the peripheries of friendship groups, or have intense friendships with regular ‘fallings out’.

These differences in social interaction often become apparent in the pre-teen and teenage years when social interaction with peers becomes more evolved.

2. May have a range of techniques to compensate and hide their difficulties from teachers and staff.

3. May struggle with transitions, large and small, and also with unstructured times such as break or lunch times.

May display situational mutism (be unable to talk in certain situations)

4. May experience intense empathy (including towards animals)

5. May seem emotionally and socially younger than their peers.

May display a vivid imagination. This could include developing an elaborate fantasy world or taking great joy in escaping into fiction.

6. May enjoy collecting things – as opposed to playing with the things they collect.

8. May exhibit perfectionist tendencies.

9. May stim (use self-stimulating, repetitive behaviours, such as finger clicking or spinning, to regulate or for fun) in ways that are less noticeable – small movements or internalised.

10. May have a large or advanced vocabulary.

11. Will have autism traits.

This is THE END.

Hope you learned more, seen more, about autism.