Salon article with quotes from a number of autistics

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Yet as we acknowledge World Autism Awareness Day, it is valid to ask ourselves: What does a good representation of autism in media look like? Does such a representation even exist?

When you talk to people who are neurodiverse, one problem they consistently identify is that even well-developed characters who seem to be on the spectrum are frequently "coded" — that is, they are given personality traits associated with autism but are never directly identified as being autistic.

"I have yet to seen a portrayal in the media that feels genuine," Becca Hector, an autism and neurodiversity consultant and mentor in Colorado, told Salon via Facebook. After noting the prevalence of autistic stereotyping in media, and particularly the entertainment industry, she added that "the closest they ever got, in my opinion, is Temperance Bones from the TV show 'Bones.'" Hector praised how the character "acted" autistic and the people around her responded with a mixture of laughter and exasperation, which struck her as realistic. At the same time, Bones was "absolutely coded."

Jen Elcheson, a 39-year-old autistic paraeducator and published author living in western Canada, agreed with Hector about Bones in the Facebook conversation. "Honestly, I find autistic coded characters easier to relate to in entertainment than the ones they purposely make autistic," she observed. "Because when they do it deliberately, it's usually characters laden in all the stereotypes."

Elcheson cited the 2016 movie "Carrie Pilby" as another example of a positive representation of autism in media.

"They described the main character as gifted and introverted, but any autistic could tell you she was one of us," Elcheson explained. Yet the problem is that, again, the character was coded. "When characters are coded not only does the greater public miss out on seeing a different depiction of an autistic that isn't a stereotype, but the autistic community once again experiences erasure," she added. "Not intended, but we feel it."

Jen Elcheson, a 39-year-old autistic paraeducator and published author living in western Canada, agreed with Hector about Bones in the Facebook conversation. "Honestly, I find autistic coded characters easier to relate to in entertainment than the ones they purposely make autistic," she observed. "Because when they do it deliberately, it's usually characters laden in all the stereotypes."

Elcheson cited the 2016 movie "Carrie Pilby" as another example of a positive representation of autism in media.

"They described the main character as gifted and introverted, but any autistic could tell you she was one of us," Elcheson explained. Yet the problem is that, again, the character was coded. "When characters are coded not only does the greater public miss out on seeing a different depiction of an autistic that isn't a stereotype, but the autistic community once again experiences erasure," she added. "Not intended, but we feel it."

Giwa-Onaiwu, who is African American, added that this is analogous to "the same problematic mindset behind 'I don't see color.' We WANT our neurology to be acknowledged and we WANT our color to be seen...just don't look down upon them when you do see them — but please, see us. We're here."

I think for some of the best that we've had recently was definitely Kayla Cromer [who stars as the autistic character Matilda] in 'Everything's Gonna Be Okay," Haley Moss, an autism advocate and the first openly autistic female attorney in Florida history, told Salon. "What makes 'Everything's Gonna Be Okay' so great is we have an autistic actress playing an autistic character. It's very clear that her input is valued, that the character is very inoffensive. She's quirky. She's interesting. She's also kind of coming of age and she's not just dealing with the struggles of being autistic and the challenges and gifts that come along with that. I think that's something really powerful to see, and that it is a representation."

Moss also pointed to the Pixar short film "Loop," which features a non-speaking autistic girl of color on a bus.

Natalie Oden, a 26-year-old actress and model in California who is on the spectrum, perhaps summed it up best.

"In my opinion, I think that representations of autism in media still has a long way to go," Oden told Salon by email. "For example, characters who are autistic are played by actors who are not autistic. Plus, the writing of autistic characters that are based on stereotypes. While yes some autistic people are like that and not all the stereotypes are bad, not all of us act the same."