Gina Rippon’s Off the Spectrum is a fantastic and eye-opening book that exposes how the science of autism has failed women and girls for decades. She dismantles the long-standing myth that autism is primarily a male condition and reveals how research biases and flawed diagnostic criteria have led to generations of autistic women being overlooked, misdiagnosed, or completely ignored.

One of the aspects I loved most about this book is Rippon’s insistence on referring to autism as a condition rather than a disorder, reinforcing the idea that autism is simply a different way of experiencing the world—not something inherently “wrong” or in need of fixing. She also does an excellent job explaining how autism can present differently in girls, from masking behaviors to the ways social expectations can obscure diagnosis. This was incredibly enlightening and helped me understand just how much the traditional understanding of autism has been shaped by research that was overwhelmingly focused on boys.

I learned so much from this book, and it made me realize how crucial it is to rethink how we identify and support autistic individuals, especially in education and healthcare. Anyone working with children should be required to read this book—it challenges outdated assumptions and provides essential insights into the diverse ways autism can manifest.

Rippon’s work is a must-read for anyone interested in autism, gender, or the ways scientific bias can shape what we think we know. I highly recommend it.