Definition:
Masking refers to the conscious or unconscious suppression, alteration, or concealment of autistic traits in order to appear more socially acceptable within neurotypical norms. This can include forcing eye contact, mimicking social behaviours, suppressing stimming, altering speech patterns, or hiding sensory distress.
Usage Context:
Commonly discussed in autism and neurodiversity discourse, mental health advocacy, workplace accessibility, and education. Often referenced when explaining burnout, anxiety, identity erosion, or late diagnosis in autistic people, particularly adults.
Critical Note:
While often framed as a personal coping strategy, masking is better understood as a response to environmental and social pressure rather than a free choice. It allows institutions and systems to avoid adapting, shifting the cost of accessibility onto the individual. Prolonged masking is strongly associated with chronic stress, burnout, and deteriorating mental health, making it a survival mechanism rather than a sustainable solution.