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.

Examples of Autism Presentation in Media - Sheldon Cooper from "The Big Bang Theory"

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

How the Media Shapes Definitions of Autism in Relation to Race

University of Wisconsin - Madison

- The media and autism as rhetoric
- Autistic community discourses and autism as rhetoric
- Cultural forces and autism as rhetoric 

Forces That Shape Autism As Rhetoric

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

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