Devon Price Unmasking Autism Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity

Jul 17, 2026

114

Uploaded by Aria

Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity traces the author’s lived experience of social alienation and emotional overwhelm while exploring what autism can look like when it is hidden. Through a narrative introduction and structured chapters, the book examines autism as it is often misunderstood, the people who mask their traits, the mechanisms and hidden costs of masking, and how to rethink autism toward fuller acceptance. It also emphasizes building autistic lives, relationships, and a more neurodiverse world.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages355

Reading Time9 h 7 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Alienation

Chapter 1

What Is Autism, Really?

Chapter 2

Who Are the Masked Autistics?

Chapter 3

The Anatomy of the Mask

Chapter 4

The Cost of Masking

Chapter 5

Rethinking Autism

Chapter 6

Building an Autistic Life

Chapter 7

Cultivating Autistic Relationships

Chapter 8

Creating a Neurodiverse World

Conclusion

Integration

Acknowledgments

Notes

Index

Copyright © 2022 by Devon Price All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Harmony Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York. [harmonybooks.com](harmonybooks.com) Harmony Books is a registered trademark, and the Circle colophon is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request. ISBN 9780593235232 Ebook ISBN 9780593235249 Editor: Michele Eniclerico Cover Designer: Anna Bauer Print Text Designer Andrea Lau Production Editor: Serena Wang Print Production Manager: Kelli Tokos Print Composition: Scribe, Inc. Copy Editor: Tom Pitoniak Indexer: Stephen Callahan Ebook Production Manager: Mari Sheedy ep_prh_6.0_ 139683237_c0_r0 CONTENTS Introduction Alienation Chapter 1 What Is Autism, Really? Chapter 2 Who Are the Masked Autistics? Chapter 3 The Anatomy ofthe Mask Chapter 4 The Cost of Masking Chapter 5 Rethinking Autism Chapter 6 Building an Autistic Life Chapter 7 Cultivating Autistic Relationships Chapter 8 Creating a Neurodiverse World Conclusion Integration Acknowledgments Notes Index INTRODUCTION Alienation When I moved from Cleveland to Chicago in the summer of 2009, I had no idea I’d need to make friends. I was twenty-one years old, serious, and socially withdrawn, and I truly believed I did not need other people. I’d moved to the city for graduate school and figured I could pour all my energy into classes and research and think of nothing else. Solitude had worked pretty well for me up to that point. I had excelled academically, and living a “life of the mind” kept me from worrying too much about my many problems. I had an eating disorder that had ravaged my digestive system, and gender dysphoria that made me resent how other people saw me, though I didn’t yet understand why. I didn’t know how to approach people or initiate conversations, and I didn’t care to learn, because most interactions left me feeling irritated and unheard. The few relationships I did have were enmeshed; I took responsibility for others’problems, tried to manage their emotions for them, and lacked any capacity to say “no” to unreasonable requests. I didn’t know what I wanted out of life, other than to become a professor. I didn’t want a family, I didn’t have hobbies, and I believed I was incapable of really being loved. But I was getting good grades and my intellect earned me a lot of praise, so I just focused on those strengths. I pretended all the rest was a meaningless distraction. When graduate school began, I rarely went out with my new classmates. The few times I did, I had to get completely hammered to overcome my inhibitions and seem “fun.” Otherwise I spent whole weekends alone in my apartment, reading journal articles and falling down strange internet rabbit-holes. I didn’t let myself have hobbies. I barely exercised or cooked. I’d occasionally hook up with people i

FAQs

What problem is introduced in the book’s opening narrative?

The opening describes alienation and loneliness as the author struggles with social withdrawal, overwhelm in interactions, and emotional breakdowns during graduate school.

What does the book explore about autism and how it is understood?

It frames a rethinking of autism by addressing what autism “really” is, who the masked autistics are, and how society can miss autistic experience when traits are hidden.

How does the book describe the purpose and impact of masking?

Masking is presented as having an “anatomy” and a measurable “cost,” shaping emotional strain and the difficulty of connecting authentically with others.

Jul 17, 2026

114

Uploaded by Aria