Strong Female Character

Allistic is a colloquial term used to describe individuals who do not have autism. This label reframes non-autism as its own neurological condition running parallel to autism. Brady uses the term throughout Strong Female Character to make sense of how society is tailored to non-autistic needs and ways of functioning, referring to allistics as a group with defined behavioral patterns. It is important to note that not all allistics are neurotypical, however, since other neurodevelopmental conditions, including ADHD, dyslexia, and mood disorders, can fall under the umbrella of neurodivergence.

Alexithymia is a psychiatric term for emotional blindness. This condition is characterized by an individual having significant difficulty identifying and engaging with their own emotions. While it corresponds at a high rate with autism, not all individuals with autism are alexithymic and not all alexithymic individuals have autism. Brady identifies herself as alexithymic but asserts that she doesn’t know if her alexithymia is solely linked to autism, tying the condition to her traumatic experiences as a teen and young adult.

Autism Spectrum Disorder, referred to commonly as autism, is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects at least 1% of the global population (in the United States, it affects one in every thirty-six children, and numbers vary by country).