Strong Female Character

I got this book after seeing Scottish comedian Fern Brady on the British comedy panel show Taskmaster. It’s a memoir about her experiences growing up and becoming a young adult while suspecting that she has autism, but not being believed or understood by mental health professionals — one of whom claimed that she can’t have autism since she’s a woman who’s had boyfriends.

Only after being diagnosed as an adult has she been able to recontextualize her life experiences and understand them in a different light. Funny, sometimes sobering, and a reminder that denying the reality of our issues doesn’t resolve them. Only by understanding the root of any problem can we then effectively find tools that help.

I enjoyed this book a lot, but I do feel like some parts were still too fresh. I wonder if Fern would still say she doesn’t do well in a community if she had a community that included more autistic people.