50 pages • 1 hour read
Devon PriceUnmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2022A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Challenging Stereotypes and Misconceptions About Autism
In Unmasking Autism, Price aims to dismantle the entrenched stereotypes and misconceptions about Autism. He first addresses the stereotypical portrayal of Autism as predominantly affecting young, white, male individuals. This narrow depiction, he argues, fails to capture the vast diversity within the Autism spectrum, overlooking how Autism manifests across different races, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Price emphasizes that Autism is a complex neurotype, characterized by a range of experiences that cannot be encapsulated by such limited stereotypes. He argues that these stereotypes contribute to the under-diagnosis and misunderstanding of Autism in individuals who do not fit this restricted mold, thereby marginalizing a significant portion of the Autistic community.
One of the many misconceptions that Price tackles is the notion of “female Autism.” Many clinicians, he explains, believe that Autism manifests differently in girls and women. However, Price contends:
[T]he term ‘female Autism’ is misleading; it presents the root of masking as being a person’s assigned sex at birth, or their identity, when really it’s social expectations that lead to a person’s disability getting ignored. Masking is a social experience, not a biological one. ‘Female Autism’ isn’t actually a subtype of the disorder; it’s a way that people cope with their neurodiversity not being taken seriously. Often, it is women who are in that position. But many other marginalized groups go through it, too (60).
Price notes that traits commonly attributed to “female Autism,” such as being “inoffensive, quiet” or emotionally withdrawn yet socially adaptive, are often responses to societal expectations and pressures (54). This misconception not only reinforces gender stereotypes but also overlooks the fact that masking—the act of concealing one’s Autistic traits—is a social experience affecting people across genders.
Lastly, Price addresses the misconception of Autistic individuals as aloof, cold, introverted, and antisocial. Contrary to this belief, many Autistic people are sensory seekers, extroverts, and outgoing. Price illustrates that just like allistic (non-Autistic) individuals, Autistic people have social needs and desires: “We also crave friendship and belonging to the same degree that allistics do” (224). For example, many Autistic people actively participate in, and even organize, niche groups and communities. Price points out that “Autistic people don’t actually lack communication skills, or a drive to connect” (224). Rather, the way in which Autistic people communicate and connect with others is often misunderstood by allistic people.
By challenging prevalent stereotypes and misconceptions around Autism, Price paves the way for a more empathetic and comprehensive understanding of the Autistic experience. As he argues throughout the book, this shift in perspective is crucial for fostering a society that truly recognizes and celebrates neurodiversity.
Masking and Its Consequences
Price details how Autistic individuals often conceal their true selves to adapt to societal norms, which often results in detrimental impacts to their health and overall well-being.
Price devotes much of the book to unpacking the concept of masking. He explains two facets of masking: camouflaging and compensation. Camouflaging, he says, entails “attempting to hide or obscure Autistic traits in order to ‘blend in’ with neurotypicals. The main goal of camouflage is to avoid detection as disabled” (96). On the other hand, compensation involves “using specific strategies to ‘overcome’ challenges and impairments related to disability. The main goal of compensation is to maintain the appearance of high, independent functioning” (96). Price emphasizes that masking goes beyond the superficial, reaching into every facet of a masked Autistic’s life:
When I introduce neurotypical people to the concept of Autism masking, they usually understand it as a social process or performance. It’s true that masking involves things like memorizing social rules and feigning friendliness, but that’s really just the most obvious form it takes. Most of us have to mask everything from our information processing style, to our lack of coordination, to our limited food preferences, to the fact that we require more rest than neurotypical people are expected to. Masking shapes the fields we work in, how we dress and carry ourselves, where we live. Many maskers choose careers that allow them to hide their executive functioning issues. Or they realize they have no choice but to freelance because they can’t keep up with all the meetings and socializing a full-time job requires (97-98).
Even the appearance of “normalcy,” Price says, can belie a hidden struggle:
Masked Autistics tend to arrange our lives around our limitations and needs, and sacrifice anything that might demand too much energy out of us. An impressive resume or academic transcript might hide the fact our homes are messy, our hair is unbrushed, and we haven’t socialized with anybody recreationally in months. In a few key areas we may appear to be functioning highly, but that façade requires we let everything else in life fall apart (98).
Price examines the “double bind” Autistic individuals face, particularly in the context of employment:
Though masking is incredibly taxing and causes us a lot of existential turmoil, it’s rewarded and facilitated by neurotypical people. Masking makes Autistic people easier to ‘deal’ with. It renders us compliant and quiet. It also traps us. Once you’ve proven yourself capable of suffering in silence, neurotypical people tend to expect you’ll be able to do it forever, no matter the cost. Being a well-behaved Autistic person puts us in a real double bind and forces many of us to keep masking for far longer (and far more pervasively) than we want to (99).
The societal expectation for Autistic individuals to appear “high functioning” often leads to a façade of competence, masking the true extent of their struggles. This façade, while potentially enhancing employability, comes at the cost of personal well-being. Autistic individuals are forced to navigate a world where they are expected to meet neurotypical standards without the necessary support, leading to significant stress and the risk of burnout.
Lastly, Price delves into the flawed coping strategies that arise from masking, such as substance abuse. Autistic individuals often experience sensory overwhelm, and in an attempt to manage this and conform to societal expectations, they may turn to substances to dull their sensory sensitivities or assist with social regulation. This reliance on substances is a direct consequence of the immense pressure to mask their Autistic traits. Additionally, other coping mechanisms like eating disorders or detachment may develop as Autistic individuals strive to exert control in a world that constantly challenges their natural way of being.
Intersectionality and Autism
Price highlights how various social, economic, and cultural factors intertwine with the Autistic experience. For one thing, Price focuses on the experiences of Black and brown Autistic individuals, elucidating how racism has historically influenced and continues to shape the field of psychology and psychiatry. “Racism has permeated psychology and psychiatry from its genesis,” Price says, and this has deeply affected the experiences of Black and brown Autistics (61). He explains the historical roots of this marginalization: “The mental health needs of white, wealthy people (and the hassle rich mentally ill people presented to their high-status families) were the primary concern of early psychiatrists. Everyone else was, at best, an afterthought, and at worse an undesirable to be purged” (61). The consequences of these origins are still felt:
This history shaped how professionals saw and defined Autism from the very start, and its legacy is still with us today. Autistic people of color frequently end up having their Autism ignored due to racism and bigotry. They’re less likely to get referrals to Autism specialists. They have an incredibly hard time finding culturally competent health care (61).
Price goes on to highlight the additional burden of code-switching faced by Black Americans, drawing parallels to the masking often required of Autistic individuals. He writes, “Psychological research shows that code switching requires a ton of cognitive resources even for neurotypical people […]. For some Black Autistics, it can be prohibitively hard to manage both tasks” (64). Since this dual challenge of managing racial and neurodivergent identities can be exceptionally draining, it leads to increased psychological stress and a sense of inauthenticity.
In the later chapters of the book, Price examines the contrast between the medical and social models of disability. The medical model, which has dominated the understanding of Autism, views it as a condition requiring diagnosis and treatment, focusing on individual deficits. In contrast, the social model, which Price advocates for, emphasizes how societal barriers and attitudes contribute to the disabling of individuals. This model suggests that Autism is not just a medical issue but also a social and cultural one, in which the environment plays a crucial role in shaping the experiences of Autistic individuals. By promoting the social model of disability, Price argues for a more inclusive approach that recognizes the varied needs and challenges faced by Autistic individuals, particularly those from marginalized communities. In taking an intersectional view of Autism, Price advocates for a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to Autism, one that recognizes and embraces the full diversity of the Autistic experience.
