Autism and Race

Autism and Race: Why Racialized Autistic People Are Missed, Misdiagnosed, and Harmed

Autism does not exist outside of social systems. For racialized people, autism is experienced through racism, surveillance, and unequal access to care. This article explains why racialized autistic people are more likely to be missed, misdiagnosed, or punished—and why an intersectional approach is essential.

Autism Is Not Diagnosed Equally

Start with the evidence: prevalence is stable, but diagnosis is not.1

Autism prevalence does not differ meaningfully by race. Diagnosis does.

Racialized children—especially Black children—are:

  • Diagnosed later
  • Less likely to receive autism diagnoses
  • More likely to receive behavioural or conduct-based diagnoses
  • More likely to be disciplined rather than supported

These differences reflect systemic bias, not differences in behaviour.

Behaviour Is Interpreted Through Race

Racism shapes how the same traits are perceived and labeled.1

Identical behaviours are read differently depending on race:

  • Emotional dysregulation may be labeled “distress” in white children
  • The same behaviour may be labeled “defiance” or “aggression” in Black children

This racialized interpretation transforms neurodivergence into misconduct.

Adultification and Loss of Protection

When childhood is denied, support turns into punishment.1

Black children are frequently perceived as older and less innocent. When childhood itself is denied:

  • Developmental differences are punished
  • Support is withheld
  • Neurodivergence is criminalized

Autistic traits become safety risks rather than support needs.

The Cost of Masking for Safety

Survival often requires a level of masking that takes a heavy toll.1

Racialized autistic people often mask not just to fit in—but to stay safe.

This leads to:

  • Hyper-vigilance
  • Chronic stress
  • Burnout
  • Delayed or missed diagnosis
  • Increased mental health risk

Masking becomes survival, not adaptation.

Neurodiversity Without Anti-Racism Is Incomplete

Without an anti-racist lens, neurodiversity remains selective.1

Mainstream neurodiversity narratives have often centered white autistic experiences.

Without anti-racist frameworks:

  • Some autistic people are protected by “quirky genius” narratives
  • Racialized autistic people remain surveilled and punished
  • Neurodivergence is unevenly humanized

Autism must be understood intersectionally, or inequity persists.

What an Anti-Racist Autism Framework Requires

Equity requires structural change, not just awareness.1

  • Equitable diagnostic access
  • Culturally informed assessment
  • Rejection of behavioural moralism
  • Reduction of surveillance-based discipline
  • Centering racialized autistic voices
  • Support over punishment at every level

Key Takeaway

Autism does not look different in racialized people.
Systems respond differently to it.

Until racism is addressed alongside ableism, racialized autistic people will continue to be overlooked, misdiagnosed, and harmed.

Source

  1. Abdulle, S. (2025). An Intersection of Race and Disability: A Critical Analysis of the Racial Inequities in Autism and Neurodivergent Disability Diagnoses for Black Children. Canadian Journal of Autism Equity, 5(1). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

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