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Roughly 2% of adults in the nation have autism spectrum disorder – that’s about 5.4 million people over 18. And a lot of them go through life masking, which is any attempt or strategy “to hide your disability.”
How “unmasking” leads to freedom for autistic and other neurodivergent people
Autistic people are constantly forced to suppress who they are as a means of pleasing a neurotypical world. Social psychologist Devon Price not only wants to give them permission to take off that mask and be themselves, but believes that doing so allows everyone to lead happier lives.
Masking is a common coping mechanism employed by autistic people in an attempt to fit into a neurotypical society. While masking is widely employed by many autistic people, for people in marginalized groups — including women, people of color and LGBTQ+ people — might feel even more compelled to camouflage their disability.