See Us as Individuals, Not Stereotypes

The Story

Autistica had a problem: persistent myths about autism were making life harder for autistic people. Research showed 39% of people believed autistic people lack empathy, 35% thought autism was a learning disability, and nearly 30% weren't sure if autism could be “cured”.

For World Autism Acceptance Month, Autistica created a campaign that challenged audiences to examine their own assumptions about the autistic experience. The central message was simple: if you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person.

The main character, Jess — an unmasked autistic woman of colour — uses light-hearted humour to question why society places the burden of accommodation entirely on autistic people.

BAFTA-winning filmmaker Sindha Agha directed the work, with Autistica community members guiding every decision. Jess's perspective shaped all creative choices, from cinematography to sound design, ensuring the sensory experience of autism informed the storytelling itself.

How it gets representation right

• Autistic people as storytellers, not subjects: Positioned autistic voices as the primary narrators, challenging audience assumptions about autism.
• Challenging harmful myths with evidence: Directly confronted stereotypes like “autistic people lack empathy” using research-backed facts and lived experience.
• Intersectional and unmasked representation: Featured an autistic woman of colour who didn't hide her autism, challenging stereotypes of autism as a predominantly white and male experience.

Why it matters

Autistica's campaign tackled the “double empathy problem” — the reality that while autistic people constantly work to understand neurotypical people, society rarely returns the effort. By using humour to expose harmful myths (like the belief that autistic people lack empathy), the campaign shifted responsibility from autistic people to mask and adapt, to society to change its attitudes. This represents a fundamental challenge to the structures that marginalise autistic voices — proving that authentic representation isn't just about better portrayals, but about questioning who gets to define what's “normal” in the first place.