Earlier this year I was invited to take part in something wonderful. Six weeks of sharing, videos, blogs, and stories about autism and masking.

In the beginning, I was enthusiastic and optimistic. Now, at the end of it all, I am left to reflect on this whirlwind campaign.

I’ve lost count. So many tweets, stories, and social media posts, autistic people all over the world sharing what masking is like for them. What sticks out to me the most?

People who say they cannot #TakeTheMaskOff for one reason or another. Parents who worry they may lose custody of their children, autistic POC who fear brutality from law enforcement, and autistic adults who have been masking for so long that they feel lost and don’t know where the mask ends and they begin.

These comments have stuck with me. Now, more than ever, I am determined to #TakeTheMaskOff and normalize autism so that future generations won’t have to live in shame and fear. It is my responsibility, as an autistic who can safely unmask, to #TakeTheMaskOff so that one day maybe we will all be able to remove our masks.

Other posts from #TakeTheMaskOff

#TakeTheMaskOff Live Launch with Do I Look Autistic Yet, Agony Autie and Neurodivergent Rebel

The live launch of #TakeTheMaskoff, a six week campaign covering six topics around Autistic Masking, featuring:

The Autistic Advocate (www.theautisticadvocate.com) Neurodivergent Rebel (https://neurodivergentrebel.com/) Do I Look Autistic Yet (https://www.facebook.com/aspieaesthetic) And presented by: Agony Autie (https://www.facebook.com/agonyautie/)

Transcriptions available HERE.

An Autistic Perspective #TakeTheMaskOff – Masking, Mental Health, & Burnout

I’m a chameleon, an expert masker. I can be fun and playful, or serious and attentive. I can sit still, with proper posture, and give the impression of eye contact. There are many masks, many characters that all require varying skill levels to pull off. Some costumes are more elaborate than others. – Neurodivergent Rebel

An Autistic Perspective – What is Autistic Masking? #TakeTheMaskOff

Why #TakeTheMaskOff is Important

Why #TakeTheMaskOff is Important and why the campaign matters to me.

#TakeTheMaskOff Diagnosis/Self awareness – How does it impact masking?

My diagnosis was like a light, illuminating parts of me that I’d hidden in the darkness. #TakeTheMaskOff

#TakeTheMaskOff – Coping Strategies Taking Off The Mask

Let’s talk about how we can start to take off the mask.