Autism only affects boys.

This is 100% false. Even though the majority of autistic individuals appear to be males (3% of the population), there are females out here who have autism also (0.07% of the population). Girls are just more likely to ‘mask’ their autism traits. This explains why autism in females is more difficult to diagnose. The good news is that we autistic girls know that there is something about us that make us stand out in a crowd. This includes girls who are undiagnosed.

In case you’re wondering, that’s me rocking magenta hair! Hey, I’m part of the autistic female community. I decide to enjoy what I have 🙂 I hope you do to!

Anyway….

Here are some examples of things about us that make us different. These traits are difficult to hide. I experience these signs daily:

*We have a preference for being alone.

*We show inappropriate to no facial expressions.

*We have an inability to start a conversation or keep one going.

*We rely heavily on rules and routines.

I have purposely saved this myth for last because this is the myth that must end immediately. My twin sister Jessica and I are two autistic females and as children, we wondered if there were other girls (girls of color for that matter) who shared our disability.

Years later, autism has grown more common and it’s a relief knowing that we are not the only women on the autism spectrum. I hope to meet more autistic women and girls in the future.

Autistic individuals are best suited for jobs that entail repetitive tasks.

World,

Every autistic individual is different. We have different hobbies, different favorite foods, and yes, even different job experiences. Our job experiences range from extensive to none. Some work in jobs that consists of repetitiveness while others do not.

In fact, Temple Grandin is a well know animal science professor and author who happens to be autistic. There is repetitiveness involved in her work, but the material she teaches doesn’t stay the same. Change happens every day within her teachings and every semester when she teaches different students.

Jo Redman is an autistic (also ADHD) British woman who is a three time WKC kickboxing world champion. Repetitiveness is involved due to her physical endurance, but she faces different opponents whenever she’s on the mat. Therefore, each match she competes in is different.

As for myself, change happens every day at my job due to soldiers coming and leaving Fort Bragg. Also, my job duties can change unexpectedly each day I show up to work. Yes, there’s repetitiveness involved, but my tasks do not stay the same.

As you can see, each one of us have jobs that involve change, even though there’s repetitiveness involved. There are individuals who can handle constant changes while others cannot.

That’s what makes autism so diverse. It’s like a rainbow. It’s colors are not only beautiful, but are unique.