Pop Quiz! What do, Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory,, Dr. Shaun Murphy from The Good Doctor, Sam Gardner from A Typical, and Abed Nadir from "Community" have in common?
If you guessed that they’re all Autistic, you would be correct!
But you’ll notice one, very significant factor, they’re all men.
In fact, in our modern age of TV and Film, where we are finally seeing diversity on the screen slowly but sadly, we, the neurodivergent community, are still being very much let down…
Why? Because whilst at least 1 in 100 people will live on the Autistic spectrum…ALL the adaptations we see of Autism on screen are of men!
One of the main struggles I hear from my own female patients who identify as Autistic is that throughout their lives, they have never seen themselves represented on screen. But Bridgerton has saved us.
After a swift recasting, Hannah Dodd is gracing our screens as Francesca Bridgerton in this series of the iconic T.V show. But it wasn’t the recasting, nor fabulous makeup that's had us all so joyful, but instead, the character herself. Warning, there will be spoilers ahead…
Now, Bridgerton is no stranger to breaking boring TV norms, casting an incredibly intersectional line up in a fantasy regency era where slavery has been abolished, and race no longer being a barrier in upper-class society. Shondaland in season 3 has already shown us a beautiful debutant using sign language, and an eligible bachelor in a wheelchair. And, Francesca Bridgerton.
Neurodivergent fans have been QUICK to identify that their new diamond of the season is beautiful, intelligent, and, very likely, autistic. Let’s break down the indicators that fans have identified as Autistic traits, and discuss whether or not they’re accurate or not.
Social Differences
We know the Bridgertons to be an extroverted, social, and lively lot, who thrive in their extremely busy, chatty home. But Francesca comments a number of times over the course of the season that she finds all of this a little much, and whilst she loves her siblings, she does desire significant time and space for herself.
Social challenges, including overstimulation and overwhelm, are absolutely traits of Autism. Many who identify as Autistic also have a diagnosis of hyperacusis, a reduced tolerance of sound, and social interactions can also feel draining, especially in neurotypical environments.
Francesca could well just be an introvert, meaning that she gains energy by spending time alone. But I think that fans could be spot on and that this could well be a signal that she could be Autistic.
Special Interests
Fans have noted that when asked about her hobbies, Francesca's only one is playing her pianoforte. In fact, she often prefers playing it to being with others, and we see her sneaking off at a ball to play by herself.
Special Interests are widespread in Autistic communities, and can, in turn, come with repetitive behaviours. As you can imagine, this can produce some incredible skills and talents, and in a scene with potential suitor John Stirling, we see her pick apart a piece of music in her mind so quickly and eloquently that it blew fans away. Let’s also pause to give another shout-out to Shondaland for making Lord John Stirling not only another black suitor but an autistic black suitor, which is another demographic that is woefully underrepresented onscreen in the autistic community.
Could Francesca be temporarily fixated on the pianoforte? Maybe… But I think it’s much more likely, considering her dedication, skill, and interest, that this is in fact a neurodivergent special interest.
Masking
Francesca appears to try to adhere to expected societal norms even more strongly than some of her often chaotic siblings, and though we know that she can find social situations incredibly overwhelming and overstimulating, we see her trying her best at each and every one.
‘Masking’ is described as ‘suppressing’ traits or behaviours that neurodivergent people fear that others may find “weird” or offputting. And I sense fans are right to question whether that is what is happening for Francesca. We see her engaging with activities or people simply to make THEM happy, for example, telling her mother she would go with the Queens choosing for her husband. She often suppresses her thoughts, feelings, and interests, and seems embarrassed on the odd occasions that she does share them.
I would say, this is a pretty strong case to suggest that Francesca could be making.
With all this being said, I am grateful to finally see a character on screen that I know SO many Autistic women will be able to relate to, and I hope this is the beginning of us seeing a more diverse range of neurodivergent characters on our screens.
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