Invisible Load: Uncovering the Challenges of Neurodivergent Women in Software Engineering

Invisible Load: Uncovering the Challenges of Neurodivergent Women in Software Engineering Munazza Zaib Monash University Melbourne, Australia munazza.zaib@monash.edu Wei Wang Monash University Melbourne, Australia wei.wang7@monash.edu Dulaji Hidellaarachchi RMIT Melbourne, Australia dulaji.hidellaarachchi@rmit.edu.au Isma Farah Siddiqui Monash University Melbourne, Australia ismafarah.siddiqui@monash.edu Abstract Neurodivergent women in Software Engineering (SE) encounter distinctive challenges at the intersection of gender bias and neuro- logical differences. To the best of our knowledge, no prior work in SE research has systematically examined this group, despite increas- ing recognition of neurodiversity in the workplace. Underdiagnosis, masking, and male-centric workplace cultures continue to exac- erbate barriers that contribute to stress, burnout, and attrition. In response, we propose a hybrid methodological approach that inte- grates InclusiveMag’s inclusivity framework with the GenderMag walkthrough process, tailored to the context of neurodivergent women in SE. The overarching design unfolds across three stages, scoping through literature review, deriving personas and analytic processes, and applying the method in collaborative workshops. We present a targeted literature review that synthesize challenges into cognitive, social, organizational, structural and career progression challenges neurodivergent women face in SE, including how un- der/late diagnosis and masking intensify exclusion. These findings lay the groundwork for subsequent stages that will develop and apply inclusive analytic methods to support actionable change. CCS Concepts • Human-centered computing →Accessibility theory, con- cepts and paradigms. Keywords Neurodiversity, Software Engineering, Women in SE ACM Reference Format: Munazza Zaib, Wei Wang, Dulaji Hidellaarachchi, and Isma Farah Siddiqui. 2018. Invisible Load: Uncovering the Challenges of Neurodivergent Women in Software Engineering. In Proceedings of Make sure to enter the correct conference title from your rights confirmation email (Conference acronym ’XX). ACM, New York, NY, USA, 6 pages. https://doi.org/XXXXXXX.XXXXXXX Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than the author(s) must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from permissions@acm.org. Conference acronym ’XX, Woodstock, NY © 2018 Copyright held by the owner/author(s). Publication rights licensed to ACM. ACM ISBN 978-1-4503-XXXX-X/2018/06 https://doi.org/XXXXXXX.XXXXXXX 1 Introduction The landscape of the technology sector is evolving rapidly as it is be- coming more inclusive and diverse [3, 43]. As workplace inclusion efforts expand, neurodiversity is encompassing natural variations in cognition and perception and is gaining recognition for the unique strengths neurodivergent individuals bring to problem-solving and innovation in technical fields [3, 19, 20, 24]. The concept of neuro- diversity has expanded beyond individuals with formal diagnoses (e.g., autism, ADHD, learning disorders) to include a broader popula- tion of those who self-identify as neurodivergent [14]. In Australia, an estimated 30–40% of the population identifies as neurodivergent [1], and this trend is reflected in software engineering (SE) domain, with the Stack Overflow Developer Survey (2018–2022) reporting 4.27% of respondents identifying with autism/ASD and 10.27% with concentration or memory disorders (e.g., ADHD) among over 71,000 participants [45]. Employers and researchers, particularly within SE, are beginning to recognise neurodivergent individuals as valuable contributors, offering distinct strengths that can enhance team performance and innovation [3, 15]. Major tech companies SAP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Microsoft have initiated neurodivergent hiring pro- grams to leverage these strengths [3]. However, the benefits of these initiatives are not equally experienced by all. Women with neuro- diverse conditions often face compounded challenges, navigating both gender bias and the stigma associated with neurological differ- ence [9, 29]. Conditions such as autism and ADHD have historically been underdiagnosed in women, leading to a lack of recognition, delayed diagnosis, and minimal support during key developmen- tal and career stages [4, 36]. These burdens are further intensified by masking pressures. Many neurodiverse women report “camou- flaging” their traits to meet expectations of both femininity and professional competence [9, 26, 29]. In male-dominated SE work- pl

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