Jul 20, 2026 · 1 hr 3 min · 11 segments
In this episode of *Theatrically Authentic*, Sarah Atherton-Knight and Simon Scott explore what happens when audiences recognise neurodivergence in a character… but the script never says it out loud…
Sarah Atherton-KnightHost
Simon ScottHost
And if it's your first time hearing coded, autistic coded characters, I'll just give you a little brief, a little aperitif as to what that is.
It's characters who display traits associated with being neurodivergent but are not explicitly identified as such.
Yes, and it is something that is very much a talking point, especially in fandom spaces, which we have done a little deep dive on.
But I think one of the biggest things that is useful for us is talking about what coding means and also what it can mean in terms of how it relates to us and why it matters in the space and how we feel about it.
I think being able to see yourself in characters is useful enough Not only as someone who is neurodivergent and being able to find characters that we relate to, but also I think it's important for other people who maybe are neurotypical to see characters that are neurodivergent and be able to find a level of empathy for that as well.
Well, the way that I've often seen it interpreted in media is communication differences, social disconnection or very literal thinking, strong interests or rigid patterns.
But there's always an ambiguity around whether a character is neurodivergent or not.
And the ambiguity is what allows both... connection and debate which is obviously what we're having here i sarah understand why it matters to me but i'm intrigued why does this matter to you because i know what i as a neurodivergent audience member are often looking for recognition in characters there's something very rewarding about going to see a story that you connect deeply with that you also see yourself in
For me, you know, as a neurodivergent woman, question mark, but as a neurodivergent woman, stereotypically, we fall into the manic pixie dream girl stereotype.
There's been a lot of discourse or even, not even discourse, just discussion these days around that labelling and that terminology and sort of in hindsight going, oh, those women are just neurodivergent.
Quintessential kind of Elizabeth Towne, Scott Pilgrim, you know, all of these female characters who come in and quote unquote change this guy's life and shift everything for them.
And it's the idea of using a neurodivergent person as a plot device rather than a fully fleshed character as we are.
And if it's your first time hearing coded, autistic coded characters, I'll just give you a little brief, a little aperitif as to what that is.
It's characters who display traits associated with being neurodivergent but are not explicitly identified as such.
Yes, and it is something that is very much a talking point, especially in fandom spaces, which we have done a little deep dive on.
But I think one of the biggest things that is useful for us is talking about what coding means and also what it can mean in terms of how it relates to us and why it matters in the space and how we feel about it.
I think being able to see yourself in characters is useful enough Not only as someone who is neurodivergent and being able to find characters that we relate to, but also I think it's important for other people who maybe are neurotypical to see characters that are neurodivergent and be able to find a level of empathy for that as well.
Well, the way that I've often seen it interpreted in media is communication differences, social disconnection or very literal thinking, strong interests or rigid patterns.
But there's always an ambiguity around whether a character is neurodivergent or not.
And the ambiguity is what allows both... connection and debate which is obviously what we're having here i sarah understand why it matters to me but i'm intrigued why does this matter to you because i know what i as a neurodivergent audience member are often looking for recognition in characters there's something very rewarding about going to see a story that you connect deeply with that you also see yourself in
For me, you know, as a neurodivergent woman, question mark, but as a neurodivergent woman, stereotypically, we fall into the manic pixie dream girl stereotype.
There's been a lot of discourse or even, not even discourse, just discussion these days around that labelling and that terminology and sort of in hindsight going, oh, those women are just neurodivergent.
Quintessential kind of Elizabeth Towne, Scott Pilgrim, you know, all of these female characters who come in and quote unquote change this guy's life and shift everything for them.
And it's the idea of using a neurodivergent person as a plot device rather than a fully fleshed character as we are.
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