Autistic People Have Always Existed—Society Just Didn’t Want to See Us
Bridgette Hamstead
Autistic people have always existed. Long before autism was formally identified as a diagnosis, long before there were clinical labels or medical classifications, autistic individuals lived, learned, created, and contributed to society. The idea that autism is new, that it has somehow emerged in recent years, is a false narrative driven by a history of misunderstanding, misinterpretation, and, at times, deliberate erasure. Society has long struggled to recognize and accept those who think, communicate, and experience the world differently. Rather than acknowledging autistic people as part of the natural diversity of humanity, history has repeatedly dismissed, pathologized, or marginalized them.
In many ways, history tells a story of autistic existence without naming it. There are records of individuals who displayed traits now associated with autism—intense focus on specific subjects, difficulties with social conventions, unique sensory experiences, and profound intellectual contributions that reshaped entire fields. Many of the greatest thinkers, inventors, and artists throughout history likely would have been identified as autistic if they had lived today. Historical figures who preferred solitude, engaged in deep and repetitive inquiry, or struggled with conventional social norms were often labeled as eccentric, odd, or reclusive. What was misunderstood then as mere peculiarity or genius might now be recognized as the traits of an autistic mind.
Ancient civilizations often attributed differences in communication and behavior to spirituality, divine inspiration, or supernatural causes. In some cultures, individuals who displayed what we would now recognize as autistic traits were seen as visionaries, mystics, or shamans. Their deep connection to patterns, nature, or abstract thought was sometimes revered rather than dismissed. However, in many cases, autistic individuals who could not conform to social expectations faced alienation, institutionalization, or worse. The lack of understanding led to suffering that could have been prevented had there been more acceptance of neurological diversity.
During the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods, the lives of neurodivergent individuals became increasingly difficult as societies placed greater emphasis on strict religious, social, and behavioral norms. Those who could not adhere to these expectations were often treated as outcasts. Autistic people who struggled with verbal communication or social interaction were sometimes believed to be possessed, insane, or cursed. Many ended up in asylums, locked away not because they were dangerous or incapable, but because they did not fit into rigid social structures. Others were forced into silence, hiding their differences as a means of survival.
With the rise of industrialization and the increasing emphasis on efficiency, productivity, and conformity, autistic people faced new forms of exclusion. The education system was designed around neurotypical learning styles, favoring verbal communication, rote memorization, and standardized testing. Those who learned differently, who preferred visual thinking, hands-on problem-solving, or deep, focused study, were often labeled as slow or difficult. Schools did not accommodate sensory sensitivities, executive functioning challenges, or alternative methods of communication. Instead, neurodivergent students were often punished, removed from traditional classrooms, or forced to adapt in ways that were exhausting and harmful.
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the medicalization of difference led to even greater harm. The emerging fields of psychology and psychiatry sought to categorize and control behaviors that deviated from the norm. Autistic traits were lumped into broader diagnoses of intellectual disability, schizophrenia, or psychopathy. Many autistic individuals, particularly those who were nonspeaking or had significant support needs, were institutionalized for life. Eugenics movements framed neurodivergence as something to be eradicated rather than understood. The voices of autistic people were silenced in favor of so-called experts who saw them only through the lens of deficiency and disorder.
When autism was first identified as a distinct diagnosis in the mid-twentieth century, it was still largely misunderstood. Early researchers like Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger described autistic children in ways that emphasized deficits rather than differences. Kanner, in particular, portrayed autism as a rare and severe childhood condition, reinforcing the idea that autistic people were fundamentally disconnected from the world. Asperger recognized autism as a spectrum with a wider range of presentations, but his work was largely ignored for decades. The prevailing view remained that autism was a childhood disorder, and autistic adults were often overlooked entirely. Those who had grown up undiagnosed were assumed to have outgrown their autism, when in reality, they had simply learned to mask their traits or had been misdiagnosed with other conditions.
The narrative that autism is new or increasing in prevalence is a direct result of this historical erasure. As diagnostic criteria expanded and awareness grew, more people, particularly adults and women, began to recognize themselves in descriptions of autism. The rise in diagnoses is not because autism itself is increasing, but because society is finally beginning to acknowledge the existence of autistic people who have always been here. The idea that autism is a modern epidemic is based on a misunderstanding of history. What is new is not autism, but the ability to identify it, name it, and advocate for the rights of those who live with it.
Despite this progress, autistic people still face many of the same challenges that have persisted throughout history. The emphasis on conformity over accommodation remains strong in workplaces, schools, and social settings. Autistic voices are often ignored in discussions about autism, replaced by professionals and researchers who continue to frame autism in terms of deficits rather than differences. The pressure to mask, to suppress natural behaviors, and to meet neurotypical expectations continues to cause harm. The long history of exclusion and misunderstanding is far from over.
Understanding that autistic people have always existed is crucial in changing the way society views autism today. Recognizing our history means acknowledging that autistic people are not a recent phenomenon, nor are we the product of modern influences. We are part of the fabric of humanity, contributors to art, science, philosophy, and culture. Our ways of thinking, learning, and experiencing the world have always been valuable, even when they were not recognized as such. The challenge now is not to "fix" autism, but to build a world that finally makes space for autistic people to exist as they are, without fear of rejection or erasure.
Autistic people have always been here. It is time for society to start seeing us.
Examples of Autistic People Throughout History and How They Were Misunderstood or Overlooked
Historical Figures with Autistic Traits
Many historical figures displayed traits commonly associated with autism, such as intense focus, social differences, deep special interests, and unconventional thinking. While it is impossible to diagnose retrospectively, their behaviors and descriptions suggest neurodivergent tendencies.Isaac Newton was known for his extreme focus, rigid routines, and difficulty with social interactions. He often became so deeply absorbed in his work that he forgot to eat or sleep.
Nikola Tesla had intense sensory sensitivities, preferred solitude, and was known for his photographic memory and ability to visualize entire inventions in his mind before creating them.
Emily Dickinson lived in seclusion, wrote obsessively, and had a unique and structured way of communicating. She avoided social interactions and expressed emotions more comfortably through her poetry.
Albert Einstein struggled with language development as a child, had an intense special interest in physics, and had difficulty with conventional social norms.
Autistic People in Ancient Societies
In some Indigenous cultures, individuals who displayed deep connections to nature, unusual communication styles, or hyperfocus on specific areas of knowledge were seen as spiritual leaders or shamans rather than "disabled."
In Ancient Greece and Rome, scholars, mathematicians, and philosophers who preferred solitude and engaged in deep, repetitive inquiry were often revered rather than pathologized. However, those who did not fit into intellectual or artistic roles often faced marginalization.
Misinterpretation of Autistic Behaviors in the Middle Ages
During the medieval period, individuals who were nonverbal or had alternative communication styles were sometimes believed to be possessed or cursed. Many were subjected to exorcisms or institutionalized in monasteries or asylums.
Those who engaged in repetitive movements or intense fixations were sometimes labeled as having "holy visions" or supernatural abilities, while others were accused of witchcraft or madness.
Institutionalization of Neurodivergent People in the 19th and 20th Centuries
Autistic individuals who struggled with social interaction or sensory sensitivities were often diagnosed with intellectual disabilities, schizophrenia, or hysteria and confined to asylums.
Many were subjected to cruel treatments, including forced sterilization under eugenics programs, which sought to "eliminate undesirable traits" from the population.
Nonverbal autistic individuals were dismissed as "low-functioning" and often denied basic education and opportunities for communication.
The Rise of the Industrial Era and the Struggle for Employment
As economies shifted toward industrialization, rigid workplace structures made it difficult for autistic individuals to thrive. The demand for social conformity, strict schedules, and repetitive tasks that did not align with autistic thinking led to many being excluded from stable employment.
Women with autistic traits were often forced into roles as caregivers or domestic workers, expected to suppress their differences to fit societal expectations.
The Late Recognition of Autism as a Distinct Condition
Until the 20th century, autism was not recognized as a separate neurotype. Many individuals who would have been diagnosed as autistic today were instead labeled as "eccentric," "odd," or "mentally ill."
Even after the work of Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger, autism was initially viewed only as a severe childhood condition, leaving autistic adults undiagnosed and unsupported.
Women and nonbinary people were particularly overlooked due to stereotypes that autism primarily affected boys. Many were misdiagnosed with anxiety, depression, or personality disorders instead.
The Modern-Day Misconception That Autism is "New"
The increase in autism diagnoses today is not due to autism being more prevalent, but because society is finally recognizing autistic people who have always existed.
Many older autistic adults have spent their lives undiagnosed, only now realizing that their experiences fit within the autistic spectrum.
The myth that autism is a "modern epidemic" ignores the reality that autistic people have been present throughout history, just without a name or the understanding they deserved.
By looking at history through a neurodiversity-affirming lens, we can see that autistic people have always been here. The difference is that society is only now beginning to acknowledge and accept us.