Autistic individuals are portrayed almost exclusively by white individuals in the media.

University of Wisconsin - Madison

The Media and Autism and Rhetoric

Heilker, P. (2012). Autism, rhetoric, and Whiteness. Disability Studies Quarterly, 32(4). https://doi.org/10.18061/dsq.v32i4.1756 

Autism, Rhetoric, and Whiteness

While rates of autism diagnosis have increased, most people still do not have regular, personal contact with individuals who they know are autistic. Thus, many people primarily see representations of autism in the media.

The Importance of the Media in Shaping Autism As Rhetoric

- Sheldon Cooper is often pointed to as one of the most identifiable autistic characters on television, but the producers of The Big Bang Theory have publicly stated Sheldon is not autistic. This shows us the power of how our definitions of who is autistic shape our view of people and the diagnosis. 
- Sheldon Cooper exemplifies two forces that work to construct autism as a relentlessly white phenomenon: "armchair" internet diagnoses and the "geek chic" stereotype.

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