Neurodivergence is such a broad and varied subject, with individual experiences necessarily at the forefront of our understanding. However, in order to move through awareness and understanding, and into real, impactful action, we must view neurodivergence through an intersectional lens.
The intersectionality of being a late-diagnosed female of working age is one that demands further exploration and insight. Too often, women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) have carried the burden of being different, of feeling that they don’t fit in and that the world was not made for them, but commonly this burden is invisible to others. Why did no-one see it?
Firstly, we must recognise the gender bias evident in diagnostic criteria and processes. Research suggests that males are typically diagnosed with ADHD by the age of 7, but many women don’t receive a diagnosis until their late 30s or early 40s. When it comes to autism, research suggests that 80% of autistic females are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed by the age of 18. Put simply, women and people AFAB are being let down by the diagnostic process that is supposed to support them. Neurodivergent characteristics are being missed, or misdiagnosed, because they do not fit the male diagnostic profile.
Secondly, women and people AFAB are naturally more inclined to mask their challenges and differences. The didactic nature of society pushes girls to behave in a certain type of way – prim, proper and not causing any trouble. Girls are conditioned to appear small and inconsequential. Boys are allowed to express themselves in more open and obvious ways. Arguably, we could say that society creates the mask that neurodivergent girls must wear in order to be accepted and avoid ostracism.
So why are we now seeing women of a working age receiving diagnoses? And how does this impact them in the workplace?
Well, women of a working age may have children who are neurodivergent. These women are recognising themselves in their children and are therefore subsequently seeking a diagnosis.
Women of a working age will also be experiencing hormonal fluctuations, particularly those who go through pregnancy or are experiencing perimenopause. Research has identified the key role that oestrogen plays in regulating neurotransmitters in the brain. With dips in oestrogen levels, neurotransmitters are not as well regulated, and this instability is now known to have a direct impact on how neurodivergence presents and how it affects the individual. Many women and people AFAB have described a feeling of 'going mad', when actually this is the effect of their brain chemistry fluctuating.
Imagine this invisible burden of difference now becoming impossible to hide. The mask that was placed so perfectly begins to slip and the image that was deemed safe to show the world is now no longer tenable. It becomes harder to manage sensory sensitivities, emotional regulation, and burnout. The workplace may indeed be exacerbating these differences and challenges.
Workplaces need to consider what they can do to help support late-diagnosed neurodivergent women. This includes looking at management processes, communications, organisational culture and leadership, as well as the physical environment. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Support must be provided on an individual, case by case basis, but most importantly, women need to feel safe to access this support. Having lived most of their lives being invisibly different, workplaces need to become spaces where difference is valued, celebrated, and visible.
*Written by Becs Tridgell, Inclusion Training Specialist at Autism Unlimited
