Extraordinary Attorney Woo:

The last decade has seen media productions increase the portrayals of autistic characters. While the increased visibility of autism has raised public awareness, shows and movies still lack sufficient representation of the diversity of the autism spectrum to be considered inclusive. In addition, autistic female characters are also scarce in media productions, thus resulting in feelings of exclusion among them, and impeding wider societal recognition of this community. Consequently, not many studies have investigated how autistic women perceive the representations of autism in media productions, along with the changes they would like to see to feel more represented. The present research aims at studying the perception autistic women have on autism representation in the Netflix series “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” in relation to other media productions. By exploring their diverse experiences and perspective, the study helps promote greater understanding and inclusion of women on the autism spectrum. This qualitative study was carried out by conducting 10 in-depth, semi-structure interviews with autistic women recruited via Reddit, between 20 to 39 years old and who could speak English. The interviews were then transcribed and analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Most of the participants shared a positive perception of autism representation in “Extraordinary Attorney Woo”, empathizing how it openly portrayed autistic traits which reflected the interviewees’ individual experiences. Moreover, the women interviewed expressed relief in seeing an autistic character in a healthy relationship with a neurotypical, contrary to stereotypical representations. Nonetheless, the participants shared a desire for more diverse portrayals of autistic characters, as well as variety in the genres in which they are depicted. This study builds on previous research on the portrayal of autism in media productions by investigating the perception that underrepresented autistic women have on such representations. It identifies the importance of diversity in the portrayal of autistic characters in order for the whole autistic community to feel represented, and increases understanding of autism within society. The positive perceptions reported for series which included autistic individuals in their casting or production highlights how the involvement of autistic individuals with lived experiences contributes to the authenticity and reception of these narratives.