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Unmasking Autism
Unmasking Autism: The Radical Power of Embracing Our Neurodiversity | Devon Price
'Reading this felt like being at home - I didn't realise how much I masked. What an incredible book that I know will be re-read many times over.' - Dr Camilla Pang, author of Explaining Humans'Unmasking Autism is at once a most deeply personal and scholarly account of the damage caused by autistic (and all) people leading masked lives, and how unmasking is essential to creating a self-determined, authentic life... This is a remarkable work that will stand at the forefront of the neurodiversity movement' - Dr Barry M. Prizant, author of Uniquely Human Have you, a friend or family member been living with undiagnosed autism?For every visibly Autistic person you meet, there are countless 'masked' people who pass as neurotypical. They don't fit the stereotypical mould of Autism and are often forced by necessity to mask who they are, spending their entire lives trying to hide their Autistic traits. In particular, there is evidence that Autism remains significantly undiagnosed in women, people of colour, trans and gender non-conforming people, many of whom are only now starting to recognise those traits later in life.Blending cutting-edge research, personal insights and practical exercises for self-expression, Dr Devon Price examines the phenomenon of 'masking', making a passionate argument for radical authenticity and non-conformity. A powerful call for change, Unmasking Autism gifts its readers with the tools to uncover their true selves and build a new society - one where everyone can thrive on their own terms.
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pdxannie
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Mehso-so

This book could have been half the length but it was really insightful and I now have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the neurodiverse folks in my life. Read for my company‘s DEI book club.

birdie_gw I‘d prob pass on this one too! But is encouraging your company is willing to embrace titles like this 4mo
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jack777
Pickpick

Didn't finish this but read about half. Very useful and insightful information on the full spectrum of folks with autism and other types of neurodivergence. Worth a read for anyone looking to be a more empathic, kinder human in the world.

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ncsufoxes
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Pickpick

#bookspin October book This book is geared more towards Autistic adults. The author was diagnosed as adult & is an academic social psychologist. It really gave me a lot to think about as my Autistic son is now 14 & we are starting to get him to think about as he‘s getting older. I found a lot of the insights very helpful. Plus the author interviewed lots of other Autistic people, which is so helpful to learn from the people that are the ones

ncsufoxes living it. The author also addresses a lot of areas often overlooked: ableism & it‘s effects, how we as a society view most disabilities through a medical model lens (where we tend to blame people more for being disabled instead of working towards accommodations that would benefit as a whole as a society) vs a social model (which would be more inclusive). 12mo
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 12mo
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Christine
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Pickpick

Devon Price is such a wonderful thinker and writer. I loved his book Laziness Does Not Exist, and I really liked this, too. A good introduction to some big, complex topics, like the pressures and harms autistic/neurodivergent people can experience when hiding their authentic selves in the often ableist world, and how authenticity is riskier for folks who are also part of marginalized groups based on their race, gender identity, etc.

erindarlyn I really liked this one too! 14mo
49 likes1 comment
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Bookwomble
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I bought this to expand my knowledge & understanding of the issues affecting the autistic clients I work with (one of whom recommended it to me), though more recently I've been reflecting on whether I may be neurodivergent myself, something my wife has been telling me for years, but I thought she was joking, and apparently not!
I've gone from decades of considering myself as being a bit of a rubbish person, to someone with mood/anxiety issues ⬇️

Bookwomble ... to recognising the effects of my neglectful upbringing, and now, as I gradually gain better perspective on myself, wondering if all this is filtered through an autism-spectrum experience. I discussed it recently with my counsellor, who tells me it's something they've previously considered, so it appears I'm the last one to have the penny drop! I'm not sure that I want a formal diagnosis, but I'll leave that option open as I explore further. 1y
Aimeesue Lots of us in the social services sector are neurospicy! Some of us are so good at masking or using creative workarounds that hardly anyone notices. Not that I think it makes a huge difference - we all fall somewhere on that line. ❤️ 1y
GingerAntics @Aimeesue it‘s unhelpful and actually kind of dismissive to say that “everyone is a little autistic” and “we all fall somewhere on that line” reads very much like just another way of saying “everyone is a little autistic.” 1y
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GingerAntics @Bookwomble welcome to the party! I loved this book, personally. I greatly enjoyed this author and also got quite a lot out of their other work “laziness does not exist.” I definitely recommend that one. It was between those two books that I completely abandoned the whole “I‘m just a bit of a rubbish person” view of myself. It‘s a little bit scary on the other side of that, but it‘s also to light and free. 1y
GingerAntics @Bookwomble enjoy the ride of self discovery - with or without a formal diagnosis. (edited) 1y
Bookwomble @GingerAntics Thank you for your comments, Meaghan 😊 I've seen your review for the Laziness book, and it's on my radar! I think I understand what @Aimeesue was sharing - I don't consider autism to be inherently a disorder, though it can be a disability depending on how it presents, and societal structures can cause it to be distressing for many. As a spectrum condition, it affects people to different degrees: I suspect that if I'm on that ... 1y
Bookwomble @GingerAntics ... spectrum, it may be in what Devon calls the subclinical category, though as I think about that, it may depend on the environment and circumstances I find myself in! 1y
Aimeesue @GingerAntics That‘s not what I said at all, bring neurodovesre myself, hence the "us."Sorry it didn‘t come across. "Neurospicy " is used a lot in the US, maybe not elsewhere? (edited) 1y
Aimeesue @Bookwomble Yes! It‘s the world as it‘s generally set up for non-autistic people that‘s the problem, not people with autism! We use a lot of strategies to deal with society, and some are so good at it that neurotypical people don‘t ever notice! (edited) 1y
GingerAntics @Bookwomble I like the idea of not using the term disorder for the lower support needs versions, but it seems that for people on the higher support needs end it is more disorder. The whole thing is very complicated. 1y
GingerAntics @Aimeesue I guess I read that wrong. Sorry. I use neurospicy all the time. 1y
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GingerAntics
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Pickpick

I loved every minute of this book. It discredits no one. It allows every autistic person to be their authentic selves without trying to fix them or change them. It was wonderful to experience. It makes me want to go out and find all my autistic people just for the hell of it. I didn‘t do any of the exercises in the PDF, but I definitely look forward to doing those and discovering parts of myself that I‘ve been masking my entire life.

GingerAntics If you‘re new to your autistic journey, absolutely start here. #DevonPrice #UnmaskingAutism #neurodivergence #autism #audiobook #busbook #neurospicy #neurolove 1y
quietlycuriouskate Definitely one of the better ones! 1y
GingerAntics @quietlycuriouskate completely agree 1y
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GingerAntics
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Bookwomble I have this one to read - I want to get to it soon, at least before the end of the month. I've had it recommended by a couple of people, so it's positive to hear you're finding it good so far 😊 1y
GingerAntics @Bookwomble other than her recommending Rudy Simone (cannot dissuade enough) at the very beginning, this one is a winner. It‘s scientific, it‘s realistic, it‘s open all types of autism especially the types that are generally missed until later in life. He uses his academics to their fullest extent. I‘m seriously loving this one so much. 1y
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hissingpotatoes
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Pickpick

4.5/5⭐ I feel seen. #bookspin

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jackday
Pickpick

Didn't finish this but read about half. Very useful and insightful information on the full spectrum of folks with autism and other types of neurodivergence. Worth a read for anyone looking to be a more empathic, kinder human in the world.

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violabrain
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Pickpick

If you are autistic or think you might be, this book is a must read. If you‘re neurotypical, it‘s a must read too, so you can understand what autism actually is rather than all of the stereotypes that are floating around.

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quietlycuriouskate
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Pickpick

What masking is, how and why we do it, the costs of so doing, and the benefits and potential pitfalls/risks of unmasking.
It's good. What I was conflicted about from start to finish was the labelling of autism as a disability. On the one hand, I'm not sure it's a helpful framework for me personally. On the other hand, is that just internalised ableism? And, by the way, look at the train-wreck-in-a-snowglobe I call my life! Plenty to think about.

CarolynM I think I know what you mean. It‘s a spectrum, there are clearly people for whom it is a disability, for others it seems to me it‘s just a personality type, but where personality type becomes a disability probably depends on the person‘s particular circumstances. I speak only as the mother of (now adult) Aspie who scores pretty high on the tests herself😬 (edited) 2y
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pilardib

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. It requires we place value on all human life, no matter a person‘s abilities or needs, and view society as a social system that exists to care for all people—not an apparatus to make everyone as productive as possible.

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HeatherBookNerd
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Pickpick

Price is a social psychologist and professor. He was an adult before he discovered he was autistic. Like those he describes in the book, Price could “pass” for neurotypical, masking his more noticeable autistic traits, but at great personal cost. He walks through several exercises to help autistic people unmask and find ways to live a healthier, more authentic life. This really helped me understand how I can support my autistic friends and family.

quietlycuriouskate Stacking. I need this book. 2y
HeatherBookNerd @kathedron it was excellent. And recommended by a few autistic friends of mine, so I felt like that was a good endorsement 2y
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HeatherBookNerd
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I have autistic loved ones and one of them recommended this book to me. I‘m not too far in but this passage seems is incredibly helpful already.

Christine I didn‘t know this book was out! Can‘t wait to read it, as the mom of an autistic son and having loved 2y
HeatherBookNerd @Christine three different autistic folks have recommended it, and it is LGBTQ inclusive as well, so I was happy to pick it up. 2y
Christine That's so good to know. Thanks for sharing (the book and that info)! 2y
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abbyreadz
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Pickpick

This book literally changed my life and perspective on how I should live my life as an autistic person. Wow. I have never felt more validated in my entire life. I literally sped read through this book in three days. It was queer and trans inclusive which was a happy change from what books on neurodivergence are.

HeatherBookNerd I‘m not autistic, but a two autistic friends had recommended it. I found it really helpful in finding ways to better support my autistic family and friends. 2y
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