Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity

by Devon Price

The baffled families of transgender people and adult Autistics alike tend to claim there “were no signs” of these identities when the person was young.[1] In actuality, there were often many signs, which the child’s family either did not know to look for, or didn’t wish to see.[2] Signs of nonconformity were likely met with admonishment, “helpful” condescending corrections (“you look so unhappy, please smile!”), or by freezing the child out until they conformed.