I picked Unmasking Autism by Devon Price to give myself a broader insight into the neurodiversity movement happening in autism but I trudged to finish this book in order to complete my review. This book mostly stayed on the topic of how LGBTQ seems to almost have a symbiotic relationship with autism and how they are under diagnosed or have slipped through the cracks. Maybe it was my expectation from the title that threw me off, but I expected less about gender issues and more about autism per say. I don’t see this book helping anyone get a better grasp of autism. I do however see a reader coming off believing that almost all autistic individuals have gender identification issues and tend to belong under the LGBTQ umbrella, and I doubt that to be factual. I will have to do my own research on that one. This review was given on the ARC copy received from the Publisher via NetGalley in return for my honest opinion.

This is a Non-Fiction book about Autism. I found a lot of this book interesting and informative, but there was some things in this book I do not fully agree with. I think each person Autism story is very different which this book did a good job showing that fact. Maybe it is just the area I live in North Carolina, USA, but Autism test is under mental health testing (so health insurance covers it with just a normal co-pay). I also live near a big hospital that has a part that just does Autism Testing. My son, daughter, and husband (and a lot of his family) has Autism. I was at both my children's test and the test was not fun. I read a ton of books about Autism to try to understand how they see the world. I love reading books written by people that has Autism. I am going to get my husband to read this book, and his Aunt that also as Autism. I think this book is more for people that has Autism then family of them. I did enjoy reading and getting more points of views. This book is more about Adults with Autism and how they handle it. My husband just makes me do all the social things for him. He works as a truck driver, so he does not see a ton of people through out the day. I remember when I first started dating my husband, and we went out of dinner he just got up and left. I did not know what was going on. I pay and went outside find him just walking around outside talking to himself. I asked him what was wrong and he said it was to loud. That is all he said. I know there was something different, but I still really liked him. Lucky, We went to dinner at his Aunt's house the next weekend she sit me down and told me everything. I was like ok we can just order pizza at home and watch movies at the house. We can do this. We have been together for almost 20 years now. There has been times I want to yell at him to just do it, but I know that it is just him. My son is different then my husband in that he loves loud noises, and he loves to just stand and watch people. Autism is very different for everyone that as it, and I think this book shows that. I love that about this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harmony) or author (Devon Price) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I have so many feelings and thoughts about this book. This makes it really hard to rate. Overall, I love Devon Price. He’s the homie. Devon is always saying things that make me really consider how and why I’m thinking about certain concepts. Outside of that, I’ve really grown to appreciate their candor and what they share of themselves with the broader online community. They’re just really an awesome person. And in this book, there is so much of his personal autistic journey. So much of Devon’s autistic journey is also tied up with his trans journey and journey to self acceptance. I really enjoyed reading about all of it & it was neat to read. Especially considering I had interacting with Devon at some capacity while he was writing this book. For all of these parts, obviously 5 stars.

In the acknowledgments, Devon disclosed that Chapter 8 was the chapter he was most proud of in the end. I really enjoyed that chapter as well. While it often reads like a list of the impossible, because of the terrible world we live in, Devon details actionable steps to make life better for Autistic individuals under the social model of disability. I really appreciated the fact that there were action items and goals to work toward in this book. One of the reasons that I think I appreciated this chapter so much is the fact that this book was written for us, as autistic folks. Like Devon, I am someone who is coming to an Autism diagnosis as an adult. Reading this book has been affirming in ways that I did not expect. While I have been able to relate to many of the thought patterns that were expressed by different interviewees in the book; I’ve also found different “hacks” to make a lot of sense. While
I’m not sure how universally useful non-Autistic folks will find this book, I’ve found it immensely helpful in explaining why some things run me the wrong way. And showing me that some of my triggers, disturbances, or meltdowns are more common than I originally thought. This book has even had me questioning some of my ment health diagnosis that I’ve had for the majority of my life - it’s possible they’re just missed autism.

Throughout this book the Devon uses their own experiences as a baseline, but talks about the ways that various marginalizations impact Autism diagnosis, acceptance, reactions, masking, and ability to unmask. Intersectionality when looking at oppression is always important, and as a person who is multi-marginalized I appreciate the care that was used in this approach. However, I did noticed that there was very little on the page reference to members of the Asian community. In my notes, I questioned whether information on Autism within the Asian community was under-researched or if it was an oversight. Either way, I think that would have been important to mention - especially given erasure of violence within Asian communities within an American context.

The other thing that I wish this book has included is at least one interview from someone who cannot freely unmask. The author acknowledges that if he held different identities he could unmask in the way that he does. While that acknowledgement is appreciated, as a reader we just heard from people who were in positions of power or privilege who were able to unmask OR only talked about unmasking. We even heard from someone who wasn’t autistic about how unmasking can be beneficial for everyone. I think that the absence of someone speaking to their first hand experience of masking at work or in a required social setting, would have made this book more useful to more autistics. While I find myself in many positions of power & privilege, I still am in many settings where I must mask. I think my situation is more of the norm than Devon’s so I would have loved to see it included.

Lastly, this book has a sort of “workbook” component, where there are some exercises for you to do and think about. If reflections and workbooks are your jam this is a nice bonus. If they are not, you can pretty easily skip over this and not lose anything from the book.

Overall, I love this book. But it’s target audience is a more narrow than I would have liked to see. And also more narrow than Laziness Does Not Exist.

Unmasking Autism by Dr. Devon Price explores masked autism, which the author describes as any presentation of autism that isn’t consistent with stereotypes or the standard idea of autism in most diagnostic tools, as well as “any Autistic person whose suffering wasn’t taken seriously for reasons of class, race, gender, age, lack of access to health care, or the presence of other conditions.” The author is a transgender autistic person and a social psychologist.

The author writes that he firmly supports self-determination (a term he prefers to self-diagnosis), adding that “self-definition is a means of reclaiming our power from the medical establishment.” I liked this, especially given how much of a production it is for adults to get an autism assessment.

The author explains some of the differences between autistic and neurotypical brains. He writes about the “typical” idea of autism and how many people don’t fit that stereotype (including, for example, extraverted autistics). He also explores the female autism stereotype, which isn’t actually limited to females at all, as well as the experiences of transgender, nonbinary, black, and brown autistic people. There’s a discussion about conditions that commonly co-occur with autism and conditions that autistic people are frequently misdiagnosed with (like autistic females being misdiagnosed with cluster B personality disorders like borderline PD).

The book explores why people mask, how people learn what to mask, and what kinds of masking strategies people may use. Masking is described as “a complex system of behaviors, performances, and even life decisions. It follows then that unmasking Autism goes a lot further than just lowering our inhibitions. It means rethinking the entire shape of our lives.” The author likens being a masked autistic person to being in the closet about being gay or transgender.

The chapter devoted to the costs of masking includes a discussion of common problematic coping strategies people may use to manage in a world that’s not designed for them, such as alcohol/drug abuse, disordered eating, dissociation, and fawning.

While the first half of the book looks at the masks that autistic people wear, the second half is devoted to how to unmask and build an autistic life and autistic relationships. The author writes, “Refusing to perform neurotypicality is a revolutionary act of disability justice. It’s also a radical act of self-love.” There’s a discussion of things to consider with regards to self-disclosure, and the author recommends various online self-advocacy spaces.

The book talks about the importance of special interests in well-being, and identifies geeky subcultures and fandoms as spaces that tend to draw a lot of neurodivergent people. Ideas are provided for divergent-friendly design to accommodate people’s sensory sensitivities.

The author offers ideas for creating a more neurodiverse-friendly world, including expanding legal protections for disabled people, broadening cultural norms, expanded public and professional education on neurodiversity, and universal health care and basic income. He writes, “By reworking society to make it more flexible and accommodating of difference, we can improve the mental and physical health of all people. In this way, unmasking is a political goal.” He also points out the harm done to autistic people by applied behavioural analysis (ABA) therapy, which attempts to suppress autistic behaviours like stimming.

The book explores the difference between a medical and social model of disability, with the latter identifying society as the source of the problem rather than the individual with the disability. “A world that allows all Autistics to safely unmask is a world where anyone with strange interests, passionate emotions, environmental sensitivities, social quirks, or other differences is still seen as worthy and whole.”

I think this book was really effective at creating a nuanced picture of autism. I think it would make a really interesting read both for autistic people and for friends/family members of autistics. I liked that it was written by someone who is actually autistic, and proud to be autistic, at that. The book includes lots of practical tips to support autistic folks in functioning in a world that wasn’t designed for them. I suspect that readers who are somewhat reticent about unmasking will feel better more confident in doing so after reading this book. Overall, I was really impressed.



I received a reviewer copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

The book I didn't know I needed - I'm pursuing an autism diagnosis at the suggestion of my mental health team and this book has helped so much with the process! So grateful I got early access to what is going to be a tremendously powerful book.

Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity is an absolute must-read for all Autistic people and all non-Autistic (allistic) people with an Autistic loved one in their life! Devon Price does an absolutely phenomenal job at writing this book in an easy-to-digest/understandable way. Not only does he use this book to talk about how we, as Autistic people, can learn to unmask in an ableist society, he also uses this book to shed light on tons of other marginalized communities that are affected by the ableist white-supremacist society we live in.

Autism is not the only neurodivergency touched upon in this book; we discuss ADHD, schizophrenia, BPD, PTSD, anxiety, depression, just to name a few. Price also weaves in stories from Actually Autistic individuals to showcase his points. I deeply appreciate him interviewing such a diverse range of Auties! We get to see into the lives of Auties who are physically disabled, Black, brown, trans, queer, etc. As an Autistic Latino queer trans man, I was very grateful for these discussions. It is very often white people forget POC in conversations about diversity/marginalized identities and even though Price bringing us into the narrative is the bare minimum white people can do, it was still greatly appreciated!

I cannot express in a cohesive manner just how much this piece meant to me. During my reading, I cried dozens upon dozens of times. Feeling seen as an Autistic individual is something I am still getting used to after spending over twenty years unaware the reason I didn’t fit into our ableist society was that I was disabled the entire time. Reading about the universe experiences Autistic individuals face was very cathartic. Not only that but there is great advice provided within the text! Devon Price adds tons of exercises and resources throughout the book to truly help Autistic individuals learn to live happy fulfilling lives as our true selves. With that said, I applaud Price for acknowledging the fact lots of Autistic people with intersectional marginalizations (Black and brown Auties, Auties in poverty, etc) do not always have the privilege or resources to be able to unmask themselves.

Unmasking Autism is worth the read! It is by far one of the best pieces I have read about Autism. Price’s work truly will change so many lives of masked Autistic (and Neurodivergent) individuals! I will say, this book dives deep into so many discussions. Due to this fact, there are lots of potentially triggering subject matter throughout the text. Below I will list the ones I clocked onto whilst going through my first read. I am sure when the book is released and I start my reread through the physical copy, I will think of more to add on, so please tread carefully through your read! To end things off, this was a five-star read and I *will* be picking up his other work!!

TWs/CWs: Ableism, medical content, eating disorders, medical/physical/mental/emotional abuse, racism, police brutality, self-harm, alcohol/alcoholism, depression, anxiety, suicide attempt (minor), suicidal ideation (minor), Nazis, antisemitism, eugenics, forced institutionalization, anti-gay conversion therapy, JK Rowling/Harry Potter/TERFs/transphobia, etc.

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.

A great in-depth guide covering so many aspects related to autism! The history, the traits, life as an autistic person in a non-autistic world, self-advocacy, and a plethora of data and research to back it all up.

This book points out an important topic that not too many want to acknowledge currently in our society: our under-diagnosed autistics. These are the folks who slipped under the radar due to lack of access to decent medical care and belonging to part of a marginalized group (BIPOC, LGBTQ, female) that don’t get recognized as having Autism. Instead they are labeled as troubled or they go through life “masking” to try to fit into a neurotypical world that causes much stress, burnout, and pain.

PROS:
- Written not only for those on the autism spectrum but for those who want to learn more about what autism is and how one can be supportive of neurodivergents and others who are marginalized.
- Provides a wealth of resources and activities to help support the reader.
- Gives personal stories and accounts so that you can see how this relates to you or your loved one.
- Well researched with resources and written by an author on the spectrum who is transgender.

CONS:
- None that stood out to me.

RATING: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I couldn’t stop highlighting passages while reading. It’s like this book was written especially for me. Finally, I feel seen through the pages of this book! Who would have thought I could be masking autism all my life. This book is an eye opener for sure of which I highly recommend.

If you suspect you might be on the autism spectrum, were never diagnosed, and are part of a marginalized group, definitely give this a read!

Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This text was everything I could have hoped for: well-researched, personal anecdotes relayed by interviewees, and super affirming for my own autism.

Great book for those who haven’t explored Adult Autism, even more so for female Adult Autism. From research, to personal stories, to explaining the levels and characteristics of it all, this author does a great job, Including their own story within the book. I learned a few knew thing about myself and found others stories comforting.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the E-ARC copy of this book. The rating of this book is entirely of my own opinion.

This was a phenomenal book. I am autistic, and although I was diagnosed at a young age and find it very hard to mask (which is honestly a blessing) I feel like the exercises and messages in this book can apply to many, many autistics. It was refreshing to read a book about autism that highlighted and celebrated the autistic community, not to mention, written by someone who is actually autistic.

I also appreciate how the author highlights many real life autistic people, and the intersectional experiences such as race, gender, gender identity, and class that most of us face.

When this book is officially released, I will be purchasing multiple copies for friends and family members who simply don’t understand me, because I think they would also get a lot out of the book, especially if I annotated it with my thoughts as an autistic person.

4.75 out of 5 rounded up. :)

As a late-identified autistic person, I am so glad this book exists! It shifts between general information and disability theory, interviews with autistic folks, personal anecdotes, self-reflection exercises, and tips and tricks, all unabashedly centering autistic folks' comfort, safety, and joy. I felt deeply recognized and supported, and yet challenged to really, critically consider how I can create a more fulfilling and sustaining life that requires less masking and more authenticity. I am already planning to get at least one more copy for another (most likely) autistic friend when it formally releases in April, but this is a wonderful resource for anyone, autistic or allistic, who wants a more holistic, compassionate, and just understanding of supporting themselves and the autistic folks they know or may meet!

After having picked a few ARC books about health and/or thinking/behavioral differences (please excuse my poor choice of words; offense is definitely NOT intended), I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book went to a good deal of effort to help readers understand nuances and levels of autism and related ways of 'being' in/relating to the modern world. I appreciated the author showing the readers what she gained by deciding to quit masking her differences in order to blend in; that takes guts no matter what one lives with. It seems to be a thoughfully written book intended to be a helpful tool to people living with any form of autism and also to those hoping to gain some insight in how to best communicate/work/live with someone that thinks and processes information in a different manner. I'm planning on rereading this book soon.

Unmasking Autism is an absolute must read for anyone who is autistic, suspects that they or someone they know may be autistic, or wants to be a better ally to autistic people. Devon Price skillfully unpacks the damage that masking does, and paints a picture of what a world without masking might look like, both for individuals and at a societal level.

A beautiful combination of both personal accounts and research that both celebrates and informs on neurodiversity.

This book speaks quite directly to Autistics and with candor to allistics. To me, it appears to be written with love, care, compassion and acceptance that communicates and educates both the neurodiverse and neurotypical persons. I believe the transmitted thoughts of this book's author, Devon Price, PHD, will be especially gratifying for Autistics, enabling them that "Eureka Moment" of why they are the way they are and that that is not a bad thing to hide.

In our COVID era we wear masks which are claustrophobic and annoying and we wish to be rid of them. This, symbolically, is done to Autistic people, those with ADHD and even upon those who suffer from PTSD and other neurodiverse identities. They are squelched and forced to mask their stimming, and so on, as if they are a virus to be contained and hidden, so their condition won't spread and embarrass others.

Thankfully, this comprehensive book describes how once a person is diagnosed and has that Eureka Moment, they can then begin the process to unmask and be theirself. I don't know much on this subject, but I believe the author, himself Autistic, has done a masterful job at explaining and providing numerous survery type, guidance questions and tables for the Autistic person, or those who suspect they may be so, to consider and gradually understand themselves. There are further helps of how to unmask and reconstruct ones own life with dignity, without shame and according to the diversity of ones own individualised Autism.

If I were neurodiverse, I'd really love this book and find it exceedingly helpful. As it is, I've learned so much and have had some of my preconceived misunderstandings of Autistics corrected. May each of the neurodiverse readers find the courage to unmask and be themselves. May the other people in their lives cheer them on, accepting them as they are in both their strengths and weakness.

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

December 2021

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the review copy sent by the publisher.

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I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this book. Ultimately, I did not finish it. I have a lot of things competing for my attention currently, and I found that this book didn't draw me back to it. I'm certain others will enjoy it tremendously. I suppose I'm just not part of the target audience. I appreciate the author's hard work and commitment to this very important topic.

Dr. Devon Price is a social psychologist, writer, activist, and professor at Chicago's Loyola University who, with "Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity," has crafted an informative, insightful, and engaging deep dive into the Autism experience and, more specifically, the phenomenon known as "masking," a coping skill in which Autistic people with identifiable traits hide those traits in an effort to better blend in to a society that often rejects these traits as "odd" or "needy."

Unfortunately, this coping mechanism often comes at the expense of one's mental health and with "Unmasking Autism" Dr. Price offers a surprisingly straightforward and accessible path toward unmasking with exercises that encourage self-expression including celebrating special interests, cultivating Autistic relationships, reframing Autistic stereotypes, and rediscovering one's own values.

Dr. Price, author of "Laziness Does Not Exist," simply yet compassionately celebrates the rewards of nonconformity and learning how to live authentically.

"Unmasking Autism" celebrates the new faces of neurodiversity while also issuing a call for a more diversity celebrating society that honors differences.

"Unmasking Autism" will, of course, deeply resonate with those who are Autistic or who identify as someone who does "mask" or at least someone who can relate to "masking." However, "Unmasking Autism" is also a valuable resource for those who work in the field of Autism, those support or simply love someone with Autism, or even someone, myself included, who has always felt neurodiverse yet never officially been "diagnosed."

"Unmasking Autism" is a book that stimulates intellectually and resonates emotionally. I found myself often diving deeper into topics while also often stopping to shed a tear or two. As an adult with Spina Bifida, a birth defect often associated Autism, and someone who works in the field of Autism, I have often found myself doing exactly what Dr. Price identifies here as "masking." They explain everything beautifully and with a tenderness that reveals deep respect and something resembling a literary warm hug.

Those who embrace a more ABA approach to Autism may be most likely to struggle with "Unmasking Autism" as it's clear Dr. Price sees ABA as part of the enforced masking journey. If there's a weakness in the book, perhaps, it's that Dr. Price never really delves into this issue more fully and it's an area that deserves deeper exploration.

"Unmasking Autism" is filled with wonderfully practical exercises and a myriad of people who serve as examples of this journey put forth by Dr. Price. It's a book that not only discovers the new faces of neurodiversity but celebrates these faces.

I've come away from the book feeling engaged, enlightened, enfolded, and encouraged.

That's an awful lot of ens. I know. I know.

Seriously, as I wind down my 2021 reading I'm grateful to have discovered this little indie gem from Dr. Devon Price that will be officially released in 2022. Watch for it. It's a winner.