THE struggles of getting an autism diagnosis as a woman have been revealed in a talk in Salisbury.

Cath Dipple and Louise Topp gave a talk in Salisbury Library on Tuesday (April 1), organised by Salisbury Soroptimists, which coincided with Autism Acceptance Month.

The talk provided an opportunity for them to explain what life is like living with autism, the difficulties they face in interacting in the community and the struggles in getting diagnosed with autism as a woman.

The pair were joined by Lucy Dawson, who is an autism ambassador for Wiltshire Council.

A spokesperson for Salisbury Soroptimists said: “They can be overwhelmed by light, sound, smell, touch and taste which can then cause them to become confused and unable to communicate well.

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“They have great difficulty in deciphering complex speech, especially understatement, sarcasm and other obscuring language.

“They often appear very frank in their speech and they don’t see invisible social rules which most of us take for granted.

Autism Acceptance Month takes place throughout April Picture: Salisbury Soroptimists

“Lucy spoke about the difficulty in getting a diagnosis, especially as a woman because the symptoms may manifest differently than in males.

“Her diagnosis came later in life but has enabled her to understand better why she thinks and behaves as she does.”

Salisbury Soroptimists, who set up a display in Salisbury Library for Autism Acceptance Month, aim to raise awareness of this issue by providing information.

People are invited to visit the library display or check the website: https://sigbi.org/salisbury/club-projects/celebrating-autistic-women/