I READ RACHEL BERRY AS AUTISTIC & HERE’S WHY!
for autism acceptance month, i want to do something special interest related (for me, this is heavily based in theater and of course, glee) rachel berry is my favorite charactwr in any piece of media, like, ever and i heavily relate to her as an autistic person so here is a list of things i've noticed that really sell her her as autistic for me! enjoy :D
Routines & Challenges with change
Rachel is incredibly rigid about her routines. She structures nearly every part of her day, and when something disrupts that structure, she becomes visibly anxious and dysregulated.
In The Substitute (Season 2, Episode 7), when Mr. Schuester is absent. Ms. Holliday is chaotic, the club is unfocused, and the usual structure Rachel relies on is gone. While everyone else enjoys the lack of rules and makes jokes, Rachel becomes deeply uncomfortable. She actively tries to restore order by putting herself in charge but this doesn’t work.
She maintains strict personal rituals like her morning routine, skincare, flossing between classes.
In “Preggers” (S1E4), she is filled with intense anxiety when she thinks her position in glee club might be threatened, showing how destabilizing unpredictability is for her. This can also come off as selfishness and sure that is part of it but I also think autistic behavior can come off as selfishness quite often.
Clearly, it’s musical theater (same). She talks about it constantly, often to the point where others ask her to stop. She organizes her life around it, uploads daily performance videos to her myspace although she has no audience. This level of intensity and focus strongly mirrors what is often described as a special interest. She even struggles to disengage with the topic even when others are so obviously uninterested.
Rachel struggles with understanding how her actions affect others, particularly in emotionally complex situations. A major example is when she feels threatened by a new student and deliberately misdirects her to audition elsewhere (you know where…). In Rachel’s mind, she’s protecting something important to her. She doesn’t initially grasp the emotional harm she’s caused. She finds it so difficulty to put herself in the shoes of others and understand perspectives outside her own.
in “Ballad” (S1E10), her attachment to mr. schue becomes inappropriate, and she struggles to int erpret the emotional boundaries of the situation.
4. Social cues and literal thinking and spatial awareness
She has difficulty maintaining balanced conversations and often monologues about her interests, She rarely asks reciprocal questions, She misses when people are joking about her, She struggles to “tone it down” in intensity or volume.
in “Pilot” (S1E1), her comment about the “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat” solo (‘sit down your rocking the boat to a boy in a wheelchair….there is nothing ironic about show choir) shows literal interpretation, she evaluates it logically without understanding the irony.
She also has noticeable issues with spatial awareness and boundaries (e.g., invading personal space during performances or conversations), which further affects how others perceive her.
during “You’re the One That I Want,” she invades finn’s space without recognizing the boundary. (she often stands too close or inserts herself into situations in ways that read as intrusive).
5. relationships and social rejection
Rachel’s social life is pretty bleak, isolation and misunderstanding. She is frequently bullied and labeled as “annoying” or “too much,” largely because of her intensity and differences in communication. Friendships and relationships are difficult for her because she often doesn’t understand what is allowed and what is not and can take things to the extreme. She has a strong desire to connect but is unable to navigate it well.
6. self worth & rejection sensitive dysphoria
Rachel’s self worth is based wholly on her talent because she doesn’t think anyone will like her for anything else about herself. Her conversation on the bleachers with Mr. Schuester (about being hated and hoping that being great at something will change that) really highlights this struggle. She believes that excellence will earn her belonging even if she isn’t likable.
When she loses her voice in season one, she believes she is worth nothing without it.
in “Sectionals” (S1E13), she completely spirals after being removed from the group, showing how deeply rejection affects her
in “Special Education” (S2E9), losing solos or recognition continues to destabilize her sense of self worth.
She lives for validation (i’m like tinker bell finn, i need applause to live) just reminds me of how RSD can present.
:)) “Being apart of something special makes you special, right?” This line has always hit me so hard as someone diagnosed with autism from a young age, it feels as though the ridicule follows you everywhere and you belong nowhere— just a body floating through space and time. I went to an arts school and that’s when I finally felt I belonged, doing music surrounded by others who didn’t care so heavily about my social faults and all those shortcomings. This was me being sentimental but yeah, being part of something special does make you special. But just being you also makes you special :))
I hope you enjoyed!! Happy Autism Month :DD
