{"id":42,"title":"Inauthentic Autism in the Media","slug":"inauthentic-autism-in-the-media","lang":"en","description":"Growing up, I always felt different from everyone else. I was diagnosed with Asperger’s as a child, and later re-diagnosed with autism after high school. School life often made me feel like no one truly…","content":"

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Growing up, I always felt different from everyone else. I was diagnosed with Asperger’s as a child, and later re-diagnosed with autism after high school. School life often made me feel like no one truly understood what I was going through. I didn’t see myself reflected anywhere—not in my classmates, and certainly not in the TV shows and movies I watched.

That changed the first time I saw A Beautiful Mind. The main character, portrayed by Russell Crowe, had a way of thinking in numbers and struggled with social interactions—something I related to instantly. In the film, the character is later diagnosed with schizophrenia, but to me, his undiagnosed autism was obvious. For the first time, I felt a small piece of myself represented on-screen, even if unintentionally.

Since then, more shows and movies have featured characters who are either “autism-coded” or explicitly diagnosed. Examples include The Big Bang Theory, The Accountant, and Atypical. While these characters might bring more visibility to autism, many portrayals feel inauthentic. And the reason behind this lack of authenticity might surprise you.

The Big Bang Theory

Many fans have debated whether Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory is autistic. The show’s writers have clarified that Sheldon was never intended to be portrayed as autistic. While he has traits that people associate with autism—like being socially awkward and hyper-focused on certain topics—his personality is often exaggerated in ways that feel like a punchline rather than a realistic depiction.

Sheldon is presented as arrogant, abrasive, and out of touch with basic social norms. The issue isn’t just his behavior—it’s that none of the show’s main writers are openly autistic. Without neurodiverse voices in the creative team, the humor sometimes leans on stereotypes rather than lived experiences.

The Accountant

In The Accountant, Ben Affleck plays an autistic accountant who secretly works for dangerous clients while also being a skilled action hero. On the surface, it’s refreshing to see an autistic character portrayed as competent, capable, and even heroic.

However, neither the writer nor Affleck himself is autistic, and no one on the main creative team is on the spectrum. While it’s possible for neurotypical creators to tell autism stories, a lack of direct input from autistic individuals often means certain details feel off or incomplete.

Atypical

When Atypical first premiered, I was hopeful. The Netflix series centers on Sam, a teenager on the autism spectrum, and explores his life, relationships, and self-discovery. Unfortunately, the first season felt like a collection of clichés about autism rather than a nuanced portrayal.

The lead actor doesn’t have autism, which by itself isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker—acting is about portraying experiences different from your own. But the bigger issue was that, in season one, no one on the main creative team was openly autistic. Without that perspective behind the scenes, the show fell into predictable and sometimes inaccurate storytelling.

The backlash from autistic viewers and advocates was significant enough that, by season two, the production brought on an autism consultant and included more neurodiverse voices. This change noticeably improved the show’s authenticity, proving that representation behind the camera is just as important as representation on-screen.

The Root of Inauthenticity in Autism Portrayals

When I look at these examples—The Big Bang Theory, The Accountant, and Atypical—the common issue isn’t just that there are few autistic actors in lead roles. The deeper problem is that there are rarely autistic people involved in the writing, directing, or producing of these stories.

Without neurodiverse voices in creative positions, portrayals often lean on stereotypes, outdated ideas, or exaggerated quirks for comedic or dramatic effect. These portrayals might make characters memorable, but they don’t always feel real to autistic viewers.

Why Representation Behind the Camera Matters

Representation in front of the camera is important, but representation behind the camera shapes how a story is told in the first place. A writer or director who is on the spectrum can notice when a scene feels forced, when a line of dialogue sounds unnatural, or when a character’s actions don’t align with authentic autistic behavior.

When autistic voices are part of the creative process, they can challenge harmful clichés and replace them with more realistic, relatable details. This doesn’t just make for better representation—it makes for better storytelling.

Steps Toward Authentic Autism in the Media

There’s a simple solution to the problem of inauthentic autism in the media: include autistic individuals in the creative team. If you’re telling a story about an autistic character, having a writer, director, or producer on the spectrum can dramatically improve authenticity. Their lived experiences bring depth, accuracy, and humanity that you can’t get from research alone.

When Atypical brought on an autism consultant for later seasons, the improvement was noticeable. The portrayal became less about stereotypes and more about showing the complexity of living with autism. This change also helped audiences better understand the autistic experience, creating more empathy and awareness.

The Personal Drive for Authentic Representation

For me, this issue is more than just a talking point—it’s personal. Watching season one of Atypical left me feeling misrepresented, even though I appreciated the effort to tell a story from an autistic perspective. It reminded me how much it matters to see characters who reflect your reality, not just a watered-down version of it.

That’s why I decided to write my own film, Wally Jackson and the Probability of Love and Car Accidents. I wanted to create the kind of story I wished I had growing up—one that felt real, honest, and relatable to autistic viewers. Maybe somewhere, a young person on the spectrum will watch it and realize they’re not alone, just as I once did with A Beautiful Mind.

Supporting True Neurodiversity

If we want to move past inauthentic portrayals of autism in the media, we need to push for neurodiversity not just on-screen but in every part of the creative process. That means supporting autistic writers, hiring neurodiverse directors, and ensuring production teams have people who can speak from lived experience.

When autistic people are empowered to tell their own stories, the results are richer, more nuanced, and more impactful. It’s not just about accuracy—it’s about giving audiences a chance to connect with characters who feel real, instead of caricatures.

Final Thoughts

Inauthentic autism in the media isn’t always intentional. Often, it happens because the people telling the story don’t have the lived experience to fully understand the nuances. While shows and movies may mean well, without neurodiverse voices behind the scenes, authenticity will always be limited.

True representation starts with inclusion at every stage of storytelling. By creating opportunities for autistic individuals to shape the narratives about autism, we can move toward a media landscape that is not only more accurate but also more respectful and empowering.

Authenticity matters—because for someone out there, seeing themselves reflected on screen could be life-changing.

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