In this captivating podcast episode, Anna Kennedy sits down with Dr. Shirley Woods Gallagher, an executive director of a multi-academy trust who was diagnosed with autism at age 49, just as the pandemic began. Dr. Gallagher shares her powerful journey of late diagnosis, revealing how she scored 44 out of 60 on screening assessments and navigated the diagnostic process during COVID-19 lockdowns. Her story offers incredible insights into growing up undiagnosed in the 1970s and 80s, when autism in girls was rarely recognized, and how she masked her way through school despite significant challenges with social communication, sensory issues, and severe exam anxiety. From climbing out of shopping carts as a sensory-seeking toddler to becoming a passionate advocate for inclusion in education, Dr. Gallagher’s experience illuminates the unique struggles and strengths of late-diagnosed autistic women.