Autism Acceptance Month: Why Intersectionality Matters Pt 1.

April marks Autism Acceptance Month, a time to celebrate neurodivergent voices and push for real inclusion beyond awareness. But while conversations around autism have grown, they still often leave out a crucial factor: intersectionality.

The experiences of autistic people aren’t one size fits all. Race, gender, and class all shape how autism is understood, diagnosed, and supported. Without acknowledging these differences, we risk creating solutions that don’t truly serve those who need them most.

Let’s take a look at the stats affecting marginalised communities:

• Black children are 2.6 times more likely to receive a misdiagnosis (often for behavioural disorders) before getting an autism diagnosis, compared to their white peers (Morgan et al., 2017).

• Latinx and Black children are diagnosed later than white children, meaning they miss out on early interventions that can be life-changing (CDC, 2020).

• Black autistic individuals are more likely to experience discrimination in healthcare and education, leading to lower-quality support and worse outcomes (Eack et al., 2012).

These disparities are rooted in systemic biases that infiltrate the medical and educational sectors. Too often, Black and Brown children are mislabelled as ‘disruptive’ instead of neurodivergent, leading to higher rates of school exclusions.

Let’s talk about autism and gender, for Black autistic women and girls, the challenges multiply. Historically, autism research and diagnostic criteria were based on white, cisgender boys, which meant that women and non-binary people have been often overlooked.

• Girls are diagnosed later than boys on average, often masking their traits due to societal expectations of behaviour (Hull et al., 2020).

• Black girls are especially underdiagnosed because their traits may be misunderstood as ‘defiance’ rather than neurodivergence (Mandell et al., 2009).

• Autistic Black women face compounded discrimination in the workplace, where both racism and ableism impact hiring, promotions, and workplace culture.

Real Autism acceptance means tackling the barriers that marginalised autistic people face, challenging the structures in place and going beyond celebration. We must address these statistics to make a real change for all autistic individuals in the workplace. 

Look out for part 2 of this blog to read our suggested inclusion edits to support the autistic community in your workplace. 

Written by,

Rebekah Hayward

The Inclusion Editor