Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity

Unmasking Autism by Dr. Devon Price is a book primarily about diverse, high-masking autistic people, including women, queer & trans people, and people of color.

This book is a great introduction to autism, especially if you're a high-masking autistic person with a non-stereotypical presentation of traits. You'll learn how maskers camouflage and mimic neurotypical social cues to "blend in" and survive, which can, of course, lead to autistic burnout and exhaustion.

It also features research and personal stories of late-diagnosed individuals, especially people in the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups. Price is a transgender, autistic social psychologist himself, which is much-needed representation in the field.

Importantly, Price argues that the world needs to change to be more accepting and accommodating of autistic people, not the other way around.

The book feels validating, educational, and neurodivergence-positive, which is especially ideal if you're new to the big, sometimes daunting world of autism.

This was the first book about autism I ever read, and boy am I glad it was this one. It's pretty well-known for being the go-to inclusive book for the socially conscious, enlightened autie. It even has advice on finding autistic community, which is incredibly beneficial for readers who might feel increasingly alone when discovering their neurotype for the first time.

Ironically, this book made me realize that I am in fact not high-masking, or masking at all! (Except for some stimming that I can sort of hide when needed.) Nor am I particularly non-stereotypical. However, if even my stereotypical autistic ass gleaned something from this book, that's a pretty good sign for everyone else. ;)

There's also a sequel to this book called Unmasking for Life: The Autistic Person's Guide to Connecting, Loving, and Living Authentically, if you're looking for more.