Rewriting Normal: A Woman’s Experience of Late Autism Diagnosis and Redefining Identity

Authors

Abstract

Autism in women is often overlooked, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood, leading many to navigate much of life without the clarity a diagnosis can bring (Lai et al., 2015). Despite growing awareness, women continue to be diagnosed late in life due to masking behaviors, gendered expectations, and male-centered diagnostic criteria (L. Hull et al., 2017; Loomes et al., 2017). The lack of studies regarding the individual experience can cause a delay that results in emotional exhaustion, identity confusion, and limited access to proper support (Bargiela et al., 2016; L. Hull et al., 2017). This autoethnographic study addressed the research questions: In what ways has the late diagnosis of autism impacted my present and future lived experiences? How might an earlier diagnosis of autism have influenced aspects of my past that might be meaningful to my present and my future? Ellis et al.’s (2010) autoethnographic approach was chosen to connect deeply personal experiences with broader social, cultural, and clinical contexts. Through reflective storytelling, journal entries, and personal narratives, the experience is presented through a humanistic lens, inviting readers into the internal world of masking, misunderstanding, and eventual clarity. This method allows for the exploration of identity development, emotional impact, and resilience outside of traditional diagnostic pathways (Ellis et al., 2010). The findings are organized thematically to address key questions related to how late diagnosis shaped personal identity, relationships, and transitions across major life stages. Themes include the cost of masking, misdiagnosis, navigating relationships under the pressure of social norms, and the journey toward self-acceptance. These themes are examined through the dual lenses of feminist theory (Baumgardner & Richards, 2000; Crenshaw, 1989) and Schlossberg’s (1981) transition theory offering insight into how social structures and gender roles shape autistic women’s lived experience. The results contribute to a growing body of literature that seeks to validate and uplift the voices of autistic women whose experiences have long been invisible in clinical, academic, and everyday spaces. Future research should expand the use of autoethnographic and narrative methods to further capture the depth of autistic women’s experiences across diverse social and cultural contexts.

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