Autism has long been viewed as a predominantly male condition — but that belief is being challenged. According to CNN, boys are 10 times more likely than girls to be referred for autism assessments. A 2023 study found up to 80% of autistic women and girls are first misdiagnosed with conditions like social anxiety or borderline personality disorder.

In her new book, Off the Spectrum — Why the Science of Autism Has Failed Women and Girls, neuroscientist Gina Rippon exposes how autism research has historically failed females. In a 2024 review, Rippon found that nearly 70% of over 120 brain studies on autism included only male participants. Less than 10% of nearly 4,000 study subjects were women.

“We fundamentally misunderstood autism in girls,” Rippon told CNN, noting that diagnostic criteria were based on male behavior patterns. As a result, generations of autistic girls were overlooked, dismissed, or misdiagnosed.

It’s time for a broader, more inclusive understanding of the autistic experience.