Coming from a working-class Scottish Catholic family, Fern wasn’t exactly poised to receive an open-minded acceptance of her neurodivergence. Strong Female Character is about the years in between, and the unique combination of sexism and ableism that so often prevents autistic women from getting diagnosed until adulthood. But it took until she was thirty-four for her to get diagnosed. In this frank and surreal memoir, she delivers a sharp and often hilarious portrait of neurodivergence and living unmasked.Īfter reading about autism in her teens, Fern Brady knew instinctively that she had it-autism explained her sensory issues, her meltdowns, her inability to pick up on social cues-and she told her doctor as much. Scottish comedian Fern Brady was told she couldn't be autistic because she'd had loads of boyfriends and is good at eye contact. Brady offers a compelling, messy, highly resonant portrait of what masked Autism feels like.“Witty, dry, and gimlet-eyed, this is a necessary corrective in a world where Autistic women are all either written off as quiet and docile, or erased entirely.” -Devon Price, Ph.D., author of Unmasking Autism 'Witty, dry, and gimlet-eyed, Strong Female Character is a necessary corrective. Astute, honest and very, very funny.' - LOU SANDERS 'Fern is a brilliant, beautiful writer with a unique voice and even more unique story. 'Strong Female Character is a testament to the importance of self-knowledge.' - Rachael Healy, The Guardian And it has brilliant things to say about being autistic and being funny' - ELLE MCNICOLL Frank but nuanced, a memoir that doesn't sacrifice voice or self-awareness. 'It made me laugh out loud and broke my heart and made me weep.I hope absolutely everyone reads this, and it makes them kinder and more curious about the way we all live' - DAISY BUCHANAN 'Of course it's funny - it's Fern Brady - but this book is also deeply moving and eye-opening' Incredibly funny, and so unapologetically frank that I feel genuinely sorry for her lawyers.' - PHIL WANG 'Fern's book, like everything she does, is awesome. After everyone tells me I don't look autistic, I try to cure my autism and get addicted to Xanax. I hate everyone at uni and live with a psycho etc.ĩ.

More stripping but with more nervous breakdowns.ħ.

My friendship with an elderly man who runs the corner shop and is definitely not trying to groom me. My terrible Catholic childhood: I hate my parents etc.ģ. I'm diagnosed with autism 20 years after telling a doctor I had it.Ģ. 'A set text for all of us in 2023' - DEBORAH FRANCES-WHITEġ.

I'm literally going to read it again once I've finished, and I'm a miserable 's a belter' - FRANKIE BOYLE Strong Female Character is a game-changing memoir on sexism and neurodiversity.

Strong female character fern brady