Behind the Mask: Understanding Female Masking in Autism and the Push for Earlier Diagnoses
Behind the Mask: Understanding Female Masking in Autism and the Push for Earlier Diagnoses For decades, the narrative surrounding autism has been overwhelmingly male. Diagnostic criteria were originally developed based on studies of young boys, leaving a vast number of autistic girls and women misdiagnosed—or not diagnosed at all. The consequences of this oversight are profound, particularly when it comes to the phenomenon of female masking . What is Female Masking? Female masking refers to the ways many autistic women (and AFAB nonbinary individuals) consciously or subconsciously camouflage their autistic traits in order to blend in socially. This includes mimicking social behaviors, scripting conversations, suppressing stims, and copying facial expressions or body language from peers. It's a survival tactic often developed from an early age to avoid bullying, exclusion, or being labeled as "weird." While masking may provide short-term social inclusion, the long-t...