A recent article at Time really hit home for me.

“Just as psychology research had its WEIRD (“western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic”) sampling bias, autism research has not only a WEIRD sampling bias, but also has essentially oversampled the same, narrow band of what are considered the easily “researchable autistics,” and expected those findings (as well as the applications and interventions that resulted from them) to apply to everyone.”

Whilst there is now acknowledgement of the narrow research bias that has historically excluded many autistics, this awareness has not yet transformed the practices of educators, service providers, and medical professionals who continue to rely on outdated information, with autistics bearing the consequences. However, acknowledgement alone is insufficient; we must take action to expand the zone of researchable autistics by reconsidering research methodologies and devising tasks and measures that do not depend on particular skills like good motor skills, sitting still, fluent speech, or quick reaction times. Only by ensuring research represents the full diversity of autistic experiences and abilities can we access the complete benefits and solutions such expanded research can provide.

It always seems that there is No Place for Autism, even in autism research.