Helen and I have recently watched the first three episodes of #TheDropout, a drama about #Elizabeth Holmes and #Theranos. (No spoilers, please!)
From the first minutes, we see strong signs of #autism. Holmes is tactless and blunt; she stims to music; she rehearses speech before the bathroom mirror; she engages in echolalia; she's out of her depth socially; she sometimes dresses inappropriately; she's obsessed with technology; she has genuine compassion but struggles to show it conventionally; and, in episode 3, she has a meltdown. She's not a great advert for #ActuallyAutistic people — let's face it, she was never likely to be. But, on the bright side, she thinks quickly and makes startling leaps of creativity, which are critical to her progress in business. And the series does humanise Holmes and show the intense pressures that led her to commit fraud.
At least so far, although #autistic traits are central to the storyline, no one's mentioned autism at all. I wonder if that reflects reality (she never got a diagnosis) or the programme-makers are worried about litigation.