I didn’t enjoy the latest season of “Love on the Spectrum”, although I really wanted to. It showed a subset of autistics with very visible and stereotypical traits. These folks were portrayed in a childlike fashion, with little capacity for self-reflection.
In real life, the autistics I work with have a lot going on internally- sensory issues, unique thought processes, a high degree of creativity.
Media representation like “Love on the Spectrum” contributes to what I call “unseen autism”- where people don’t think they or their loved ones can be autistic because they don’t identify with what they see in movies or on TV.
I work with late diagnosed/recognized autistics, including doctors, therapists, teachers, etc., all of whom report that they suffered needlessly for decades. Most were misdiagnosed and only treated for depression and social anxiety, which were secondary issues.
We need to broaden our representation of autism so it doesn’t continue to be overlooked.