Women & Autism - An Uncommon Connection | Anna Kutbay | TEDxUniversityofAlabama

What are the odds of you being born? What are the odds of you winning the lottery? Anna Kutbay explores these odds and more as she advocates for women with autism. She is double majoring in Political Science and Economics on an accelerated Master’s track in Economics. Anna has been active in the Speech and Debate community (also known as the Forensics community) for almost 8 years--starting as a freshman in high school and now rounding out her career as a senior on the Alabama Forensic Council. In 2021 she became the National Champion speaker at the American Forensics Association National Tournament, the first in the University of Alabama’s history. Anna has combined her passion for public speaking with advocacy and research, publishing pieces in the Capstone Journal of Law and Public Policy as well as the Interstate Oratory Championship book. Anna hopes to pursue a career in legal education, with specific focuses on constitutional law, jury biases, and courtroom rhetoric. She currently works at the University of Alabama Center for Economic Development as a research assistant and serves as an Ambassador for the Women and Gender Resource Center. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@ThrowbackMakeupVideos]

UGH I’m so scared of starting the process of getting a diagnosis, I feel like I have to prove myself and it’s so hard to relay what’s going on in my brain and it’s so intimidating

[@annakutbay]

Hi! I’m the speaker in the above video :) I know it seems scary to start the process-I would recommend finding someone you trust and having them be there for you at appointments and there for you to discuss what you’re feeling. The feeling of needing to “prove” yourself is definitely intimidating. But luckily, most clinics do not function like that, particular if you go to an ASD specific clinic. They just want to get you a correct diagnosis to help improve your life! Hope this helps :)

[@ThrowbackMakeupVideos]

@@annakutbay thank you ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@dangercrue]

@@annakutbay i cannot explain how much confidence this video and speech has given me to start the process of getting a diagnosis. i've always felt like something was "wrong" and like i wasn't even human but as soon as i started reading about autism about 3 years ago everything seemed to fit into place. i could explain everything that i had felt by relating it to autism. but for 3 years i was also too scared to speak out about my experiences because i was, and still am, afraid of not being taken seriously. but honestly this video specifically, but also others, have given me the confidence that i can do this and make it through this difficult process.

[@el3aleyle]

@@annakutbay As an autistic psychiatry resident who self-diagnosed myself at the young age of 29, let me tell you, I have been advocating so loudly for the past few of months. I have been reevaluating a lot of my patients and, what do you know! more than half are walking out with a diagnosis. Hearing them say "My life finally makes sense!" or "I finally feel understood!" is so heartwarming (and relatable, but they don't know that 😅) My uncommon connection was my ex who kept pointing out traits I had. I took it jokingly at first but then I watched youtube videos, heard accounts of lived experiences and then it all clicked! It all made sense! My childhood, my teenage years, my struggles at uni, in med school, in residency, with friends and partners. All of the "you need to communicate better" and the "you seem indifferent" comments made sense. The depression, the isolation, the anxiety, the migraines, all of it made sense. I am actually autistic and this is what autism feels like! F!%# whoever used it as an insult or a joke in school! Life makes sense now. I would hesitate initially to give the diagnosis to adults because I have been taught the extreme "white boy" version of autism. These days, however, I give it confidently. I feel like my existence in the circumstances that I lived through, is an uncommon connection by itself. It feels so weird to feel like you have a purpose, but mine has become to help my community understand themselves like I did. Keep up the good work! I am rooting for you!

[@rebeccaturnbull9327]

Hi hunny. I totally get u. I thought stuff too...but when u have your diagnosis u will realise your beautiful but fragile heart is just amazing qualities to have. We need to love our fragile hearts

[@oenalujan2143]

I wasn't diagnosed till nearly age 42. The military (prior record) refuses to believe that I could possibly be autistic since it took over 20 years to get diagnosed. Unbelievable ignorance, even in today's world.. and they refuse to change my discharge because of their ignorance..

[@delilahhart4398]

I wasn't diagnosed with autism until I was 44. Prior to that, I was diagnosed with ADHD, depression, and anxiety.

[@ReinaLovesLaw]

Same.

[@Empoweredwoman1234]

I love people who are completely different from the stereotypes around autism. I heard about the gender bias when diagnosing autism.

[@lizzyl.2486]

I was diagnosed with ADHD last year (only because of the Instagram algorithm pushing ADHD content). I was fasely misdiagnosed and therapists didn't see my struggles aren't purely coming from trauma. Now I see signs in a lot of my friends and started doing presentations, to help them to understand themselves and reassure them that they should get a diagnosis. Be the change you want to see!

[@katywalker8322]

Diagnosed at 53. For my generation, virtually nobody who was vaguely capable of coping in life would have had it recognised as children - doubt even 1% would have been helped. More likely society would have behaved to us like a toddler trying to ram a round peg into a square hole .

[@brianmeen2158]

Yep. I’m 39 and growing up I had heard of autism but it was largely Thought of to be a condition where those that have it not only “look autistic” but are crippled by the symptoms. Women that much more unlikely to be spotted. Looking back so many things in my life line up perfectly yet I realize there was no chance of people thinking I had autism. I try to envision a society that is suited for autistic people but I’m afraid it would take such a massive overhaul that I just don’t see it happening.

[@craigcarter400]

I have not been officially diagnosed but I figured out at the end of 2017, that I had very high likelihood of ASD and ADHD just before my 34th birthday. I like to take different routes to places to create some of those uncommon connections.

[@mariandipienaar9605]

Thank you for speaking up. This was such an informative video and I love how you approached the whole topic from a scientific perspective. I am one of the women you speak about, those who are wrongfully diagnosed constantly. So thank you so much

[@0054nee]

Powerful speech! Thank you so much for this. It helps so much to put things into perspective to better understand the reality of the situation with diagnosis on women and how unique each person can be. I admire how well you give the speech!

[@SandraLemenaite]

I’ve been recently diagnosed / I feel so much relief. Thank you for speaking up and doing so beautifully!!!

[@mikhailabunidal9146]

I was diagnosed when I was 2 yrs old in 1993 in my homecountry of 🇮🇱 Israel

[@chicchica44]

Great talk!

[@marlaadamson1633]

I desperately want to be part of the answer.

[@annacannon6638]

Thank you such a wonderful talk❤

[@art.medicine]

ADHD first in high school, then diagnosed with autism in my 30s

[@lindalambert8727]

Try being a self diagnosed 74 year old woman.

[@gaynorhennessy9954]

I'm 50 and recently diagnosed,how are you feeling tr your diagnosis?

[@marlaadamson1633]

54 here. It has been a fantastic relief.

[@Gntlplaces]

Thank you 74 yr old woman! 63 yr old woman here, self diagnosed... But keep being told no... Not giving up. I see it in my family... I haven't said anything about theirs, they won't hear about mine. So if I was sure, they might help themselves and my grandchildren!!! 63... Starting to feel better just recognizing all this 'failure' isn't really failure. Knowledge is power!

[@dustistreet5108]

I’m 61 years old. My grand daughter’s neurologist suspected I have Asperger’s (2012) when I was 54.5 years old. I believe he was correct. A Vocational Rehabilitation Center sent me to a psychiatrist and I did five hours of testing but I was never told why I was doing it and of course I didn’t ask, I just did what I was told to do for a job training course after several mini-strokes. He was a strange man.🤔 He told me that I have severe social anxiety disorder, PTSD, and OCD. Sounds like Autism to me.🤷🏼‍♀️

[@brianmeen2158]

I’m a 39 year old guy and didn’t get the diagnosis until last year. So much confusion and exhaustion. I cannot imagine being a woman and having it discovered at the age of 74. It would feel like a cruel joke

[@hollieverafter]

The QR code is no longer active, unfortunately.

[@jdmmg4904]

💟

[@anon2218]

💟

[@lordcailx]

Anyone else find the camera jitter makes this unbearable to watch? 🤔

[@missfeliss3628]

this doesnt make any sense lol