Proactive Interventions
Though the practices of under and misdiagnosing Autistic Black people have been prevalent for many years, they way in which we understand them has shifted alongside the dawn of social media.
The stories of those who have been plauged by the this institutionalized prejudice can be heard, and thus amplified, through social media.
TikTok
In this very creatively candid account of their experience, they also emphasize how damaging the practice of underdiagnosing can be. They were not diagnosed until they were 25. And why is that? Because of “patriarchal white cishetero supremacy, which in turn is solely responsible for stigma in the Black community.”
Not only were they not diagnosed until much later in life, but it was also concluded for the majority of their life that they simply had “behavioral issues,” because they are black and come from a “broken home.” And, this is all while the other white Autistic people around them, received their diagnoses when they were still children.
So, while amplifying their own story, @jaxjaxattaxx also provides viewers with a poignant reason as to why this happened to them, and also happens to other Black Autistic people.
It All Made Sense
Originally published on Twitter before being reposted by the same author on their respective Instagram page, @beezymsanii’s post adds to the discourse surround diagnostic practices of Black Autistic people. Rather than providing rather objective commentary on the subject, this post provides a brief, yet poignant description of their experience with being Black and under-diagnosed. Not only does this post speak to a broad audience, and not simply the Autistic community, but it also gives a voice to the Black Autistic community specifically, while further affirming just how damaging the practice of under-diagnosing can be.
Autism Missed
Differently from the previous posts, this illustration was posted by someone who is both Black and Autistic, but the image itself was created by an external artist. The illustration provides commentary on the under-diagnosing of Black Autistic people. Very clearly displaying the only person of color as “quirky,” while all of the other characters are labeled as being Autistic, “Autism Missed” lays a solid exemplification of the fact that Black people are more often incorrectly diagnosed. The image gives voice to those who have experienced this, while also speaking to those who might not be keenly aware of this practice.
It is through not only socially scientific research, but also through the willingness to listen to the experiences of others, that we as a society can make strides to understand and thus address the systemic racism that plagues the autism diagnostic process when one is black.
The integration of social media into this scholarly conversation, is something that, in many ways, answers the question in and of itself of how it can impact practices of mis and underdiagnosing autism in black people. It gives those who are experiencing these practices a voice, while also enabling society to better understand why theses issues are in fact issues, and therefore contributing to the gradual decrease in these harmful actions as time progresses and awareness spreads.
