Unmasking Autism

Rating: 4 stars of 5 (Review now live.)

Unmasking Autism was such an eye-opening, validating read. Devon writes in an engaging, welcoming voice and begins by introducing the reader to what the spectrum of autism really looks like, particularly in people who are not young white males presenting with a very stereotypical manifestation of it. As an autistic psychologist, Devon is able to both speak from experience about his own story and to educate the reader about relevant neurotype research. We also get to hear about other autistic peoples??? stories throughout the book.

After we learn about what autism actually is, how common it is, how it manifests in different kinds of people, and what you can do if you suspect you may be autistic (including some pros and cons of which to be aware if you think you might want to seek a diagnosis), Devon dives into the topic of masking. Masking can basically be summed up, in my estimation, as presenting oneself as neurotypical so as to not draw unwanted attention to oneself, to fit in with societal expectations, to survive, etc. It is a practice that enables many autistic people, whether they realize they are autistic or not (or even whether they realize they are masking), to function in a society that is not designed to be friendly for neurodivergent people. Masking can be exhausting and many people who mask eventually reach a point at which they can no longer maintain it.

Devon discusses who the various autistic people who mask are, the different ways masking works, and the cost of masking, both for the person who masks and for the society that requires people to mask. It is a really fascinating read, and I appreciated all of the research that was mentioned throughout the book.

About halfway through, the narrative transitions away from the cost and practice of masking and shifts focus to how we can build more just, equitable societies that allow both neurodivergent and neurotypical people to unmask and show up fully as themselves. For autistic people, he also offers a framework for building a life that celebrates and integrates your neurodivergence whilst allowing you to live out your values so you can thrive. Additionally, he discusses building friendships and relationships as an autistic person, and briefly mentions autism organizations that are trustworthy sources of information. (There are several that are disreputable.)

One of my favorite thoughts that runs as a thread throughout the book is that difference is not pathology, though our current medical model wants to treat it as such. At one point, Devon shared something from academic Mike Oliver that I thought particularly relevant on this topic:

???In his writing, Oliver described disability as a political status, one that is created by the systems that surround us, not our minds and bodies.???

More Progressive Self-Help/ Indoctrination Reinforcement Than Scientific Explanation. If you're an Autistic of a “Progressive” bent that hates anything white and/ or anything male, this is a great self help book that won't challenge you at all and may help explain a few things. If you care about scientific objectivity and/ or are not Autistic yourself and/ or are not a racist misandrist... eh, there's still a bit to be gleamed, but you're going to have to put up with a lot of racist misandrist anti-science drivel to get to it.

Which is highly disappointing. The description speaks more to this book speaking about the entire Autism Experience, and yet the author makes clear that they are such a racist misandrist that they actively deny that it is even possible for white and/ or male Autistics to have just as many struggles with masking as any of the other intersectional minorities the author clearly prefers.

Further, while the documentation is near normal at about 20% of the overall text, it is still on the low side, particularly relative to actively ignoring such a large part of the Autism Experience. (Normal range for documentation in my thousands-of-ARCs-in-5-years experience is 20-33% or so, and particularly well documented books - generally with less controversial and more holistic narratives - can get upwards of 40%.)

Overall a highly disappointing book that still offers a few points worthy of general discussion, and which certain segments of the population may like more than others. Recommended.

I really liked this. A book by someone who is actually autistic who works in the social psychology field, he's knowledgeable about autism and how it affects autistic people in society (or, more accurately, how society impacts autistic people). He describes his own past experiences and provides other examples from people he's interviewed, including women and people of colour with autism, about how they discovered they were autistic and what that means for them. Very worthwhile read, and I found myself relating a lot to quite a few aspects of this book. Highly recommend.

Rating: 3.75 stars

I especially loved the first half of the book because it helped me discover the great extent that I masked my autism to a world that didn't properly accommodate and accept people like me. There are helpful exercises to go through on how people may have developed hatred for their disability depending on their lived experiences. I especially loved how Dr. Price has pointed out less common parameters for autism, which isn't featured in the DSM-5 criteria. Another thing I liked is that he talks at length about autistic masking.

I wasn't the biggest fan of these following things in the book. It didn't take in how different cultures viewed autism and was from an American lenses. It failed to mention the lived experiences of autistic Asians. As for the accommodations, I think that they aren't realistic for those who have to work in-person or hybrid. I think that working remotely is my ideal environment but I acknowledge that not all professions allow working from home 100% of the time.

It's more engaging than you'd expect for a book attempting to lay out the broad spectrum that is neurodiversity. My intention of reading this was to gain some insight on my own behaviours, and I fulfilled that, but I'm also walking away with some tips and tools should I notice certain behaviours in others. I'd especially recommend this to new parents, as it outlines how to best support someone who is struggling in a world designed for the neurotypical.