Within the Autistic community, there has been a growing conversation on the dire need to understand the specific experiences of Autistic women. They have been overlooked as Autism was seen as a male disorder with an ‘extreme male brain'. A continually growing body of liberatory research has shown that gender and race impact autistic traits and support received. As such, the lack of knowledge of autistic women has created barriers to equitable support in every aspect of life, including the workplace.
According to the medical model, Autism is marked by deficits in social communication and repetitive behaviors. This definition centers on a deviant and deficiency perspective. In the 1990s, liberatory activists began pushing towards a depathologization of autism and coined the term neurodiverse to capture and normalize the variable presentations of the human brain. The use of identity-first language (“autistic person” rather than “person with autism”) reflects a neurodiverse framework and aligns with the language used by autistic advocates.
A microcosm of societal racial, ethnic, sexually and gender diverse discrimination occurs within autism research. It uses mostly Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) participants. Even diversity research has a bias towards predominately White, cis-gendered, heteronormative female perspectives. The majority of research findings below are representative of primarily cis-gendered, Anglo, White Autistic women. This blog post will use a critical scholarship on disability and the concept of neurodiversity to explore autistic women and girls’ experiences of burnout.
Camouflaging/Masking
What is Masking?
Autistic females experience higher societal pressures than autistic males to exhibit socially desirable behaviors. In nearly all aspects of their life, including the workplace, they are motivated to change their autistic behavior to blend in with their neurotypical peers. Through assimilating into our abelist society, they hope to camouflage their autistic traits and increase their connections and relationships with neurotypical people. The act of camouflaging their autistic traits to appear neurotypical is known as masking.
How do Autistic Women Mask?
There are several techniques that autistic females employ to mask their autistic characteristics. They mimic others’ facial expressions of emotion or interest. They also would oscillate between appearing excessively happy or with a blank facial expression. Both of these techniques masked the person’s true emotions, they prioritized others’ feelings and reactions above their own. Autistic females may overemphasize their interest through verbal and non-verbal changes (e.g., body language). They change their reactions to what they believe the other person would prefer and to encourage them to continue talking. If the other person continues talking, it removes pressure for them to verbally respond in an appropriate way.
As well as employing camouflaging skills in the moment of social interactions, autistic females often prepare for expected social situations. They create mental lists of how they are expected to behave depending on the situation. Autistic females may also prepare conversation topics to avoid spontaneous chat and ensure a structured interaction. Their masking skills help them navigate social situations with greater ease, but it also poses difficulties for their mental health.
What is the Impact of Masking in the Workplace?
Masking can protect Autistic people in threatening environments, but to prepare for and constantly police behavior in social interactions can be a draining and stressful experience. Autistic women may feel anxious, exhausted, and withdrawn following social interaction. While their autistic characteristics may be masked, their internalizing behavior is noticed by those closest to them.
The constant mask worn creates a perception of being non-autistic, where their diagnosis may be missed and/or identity denied. Masking may also affect their self-perception and authenticity. They often present an augmented version of themselves to the world, hiding the sides of themselves which may be considered ‘abnormal’ and criticized. Many feel they are lying about who they are and wanted to be happy as their true selves. In the workplace, Autistic females can feel isolated and detached from their coworkers. Although there are more autistic female advocates working to destigmatize autistic characteristics, the social world often creates environments where it feels impossible to de-mask.
The workplace is often created in a physical and social space which requires rigidity, analysis of subtext, and limited physical movement. This discourages Autistic people from unmasking, forcing them to function within a neurotypical system and fight against their natural strengths. They are often direct communicators and out-of -the box thinkers who can hyperfocus on an activity - strengths that add greatly to any workplace. To unmask and access their strengths completely, Autistic people require a workplace which allows them to flexibly adjust to their sensory, communication, and behavioral needs. Creating an environment where it is okay to stim, use fidget toys, stand or move in meetings, and allow for flexible work schedules that are attuned to hyperfixation.
Call to Action
Autistic women mask their autistic characteristics, resulting in further internalizing behavior. Most autism research lacks intersectionality and ignores minoritized experiences.There has been a call for intersectionality in disability research made by the United Nations and other prominent leaders in research. To further understand the experiences of autistic women and girls, we must include all autistic women and girls. Although research is slow to adapt,
advocacy has been including more BIPOC and Queer autistic voices. I encourage you to take a moment and follow one of the below BIPOC, Queer autistic content creators - hear their storeis, listen to their message, and share with friends!
Maria Davis-Pierre, @AutismInBlack
Asiatu Lawoyin, @asiatu.coach
Kayla Smith, @blackautistickayla
Tiffany Hammond, @fidgets.and.fries
Jules Edwards, @autstictyping
Dr. Devon Price @DrDevonPrice
Sara Mendez @saranne_wrap
When you think of these things, does it resonate for you|? Or someone you know? We'd love to hear about it in the comment section below.
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