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A review by dakotaa_jpg
Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity by Devon Price
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
This book is very useful as a person who just got an ADHD dx that suspects im likely also autistic. Ive read quite a few books on ADHD but this is a good entry book for Autism imo. The author uses really accessible language and easily connectable anecdotes that make it feel especially helpful in trying to gather more information to advocate for oneself as a masked autistic person as well as potentially trying to push for a formal dx. I listened to the audiobook, which felt very well paced.
The only thing I didnt like (as a Black reader) was the author's clear attempt to accomodate racial differences while being bogged down by their likely subconcious biases. I felt like they did an excellent job talking about masking as a gender minority/trans person (which tracks bc thats their experiences) but their inability to specify whiteness in certain phrases (saying "girls and PoC" instead of "white girls and PoC erases WoC and others them; as well as talking about how autistic people get trapped in far right spaces when its primarily white autistic people), as well as a lack of discussion on how one might safely unmask as a racial minority (although it was brought up that it is unsafe, and explained that if society changes this will be alleviated, there were no personal solutions to alleviating the stress it causes), and how Black autistics and other autistics of color might find community in autistic spaces that are dominated by white people.
Obviously I understand that the author likely didnt consider these things and wouldntve thought to, but in a book by clearly well researched/well read academic, with a lot of anecdotes from people of different racial minorities in the Autistic community I found it weird that there were no resources offered or mention of the author's own shortcomings in this area. Im also acknowledging that these couldve been addressed in the print copy, but in the audiobook there was nothing.
Something that I found confusing was the way that the ADHD/Autism comorbitity was defined. The author mentions that there is an insanely high comorbitity rate for these disabilities, but then doesnt explain how that might present and even goes on to describe the differences in the way that these brains work (ie: the autistic brain does xyz while the adhd brain does the opposite). Im confused why the comorbitity was brought up if there wasnt going to be a discussion on what that comorbitity looks like. Especially in a book about people who likely would've gotten ignored about having one or both of these disabilities. I thought that section was unhelpful
The only thing I didnt like (as a Black reader) was the author's clear attempt to accomodate racial differences while being bogged down by their likely subconcious biases. I felt like they did an excellent job talking about masking as a gender minority/trans person (which tracks bc thats their experiences) but their inability to specify whiteness in certain phrases (saying "girls and PoC" instead of "white girls and PoC erases WoC and others them; as well as talking about how autistic people get trapped in far right spaces when its primarily white autistic people), as well as a lack of discussion on how one might safely unmask as a racial minority (although it was brought up that it is unsafe, and explained that if society changes this will be alleviated, there were no personal solutions to alleviating the stress it causes), and how Black autistics and other autistics of color might find community in autistic spaces that are dominated by white people.
Obviously I understand that the author likely didnt consider these things and wouldntve thought to, but in a book by clearly well researched/well read academic, with a lot of anecdotes from people of different racial minorities in the Autistic community I found it weird that there were no resources offered or mention of the author's own shortcomings in this area. Im also acknowledging that these couldve been addressed in the print copy, but in the audiobook there was nothing.
Something that I found confusing was the way that the ADHD/Autism comorbitity was defined. The author mentions that there is an insanely high comorbitity rate for these disabilities, but then doesnt explain how that might present and even goes on to describe the differences in the way that these brains work (ie: the autistic brain does xyz while the adhd brain does the opposite). Im confused why the comorbitity was brought up if there wasnt going to be a discussion on what that comorbitity looks like. Especially in a book about people who likely would've gotten ignored about having one or both of these disabilities. I thought that section was unhelpful
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Eating disorder, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Suicidal thoughts