Lilo from Lilo and Stitch - An Autistic Icon
Growing up, I always adored Lilo and Stitch. While Stitch is an adorable alien, Lilo always has my heart from the get-go. It wasn’t until years later that I really analyzed how much alike she and I were. While she isn’t canonically autistic, she has several traits that make her, to me, one of the most well-written and relatable autism characters out there.
A lot of people before me have pointed these things out. There are Reddit posts and essays about her and her autistic behaviors.
Her behavior among her peers shows a clear struggle with relating to others her age, and her special interests (photography and Elvis Presley) dominate her life. In the opening scene, she has to give Pudge a sandwich - it’s a routine that, if disrupted, will ruin her entire day. (Yes, I know that this routine has to do with her parents, but autistic people can and do have trauma and can still be autistic).
Next, she has trouble with emotional regulation. She hits, bites, and sometimes growls to express herself. Again, this may not always be how autistic people communicate, but when taken into account with everything else, it’s notable.
While one could argue that Stitch is on the spectrum, I argue that he’s just an alien. But the movie itself is about an autistic girl making a friend who understands her, who really gets her, and it’s a beautiful portrayal.