Short Eye-Opening Quotes from “Unmasking Autism” by Devon Price, PhD
“Since mainstream standards for behavior are so narrow, there are a variety of ways in which a person can diverge— and be punished for diverging.”
“Autistic burnout presents very much like a major depressive episode”.
“Both ADHD and autism co-occur and relate to a person’s “executive functioning”.
“When neurotypical people equate “functioning” with being less disabled, they fail to recognize the immense, hidden labor that goes into appearing normal. It also misses just how oppressive having to seem normal is by itself.”
“The concept of a “functioning status” is predicated on the logic of capitalism and the legacy of the Protestant work ethic, which have trained us to believe that a person’s productivity determines their worth.”
“I was a fantastic saleswoman when my life was at it’s most dysfunctional. I could charm anyone if they didn’t get to know me, really know me, and see how much I was drinking and lying to prop that life up.”
“Racism influences how teachers and specialists perceive and screen for Autistic traits in Black and brown kids.”
“Approximately 50% of people who are killed by police have disabilities, and Black and brown Autistics are at an especially elevated risk.”
“Autistics can have intense and bright personalities just as easily as we can seem icy and withdrawn.”
“Almost anyone can be viewed as defective or abnormal under our current medicalized model of mental illness—at least during particularly trying periods of their lives when they are depressed or their coping breaks down. In this way, neurotypicality is more of an oppressive cultural standard than it actually is a privileged identity a person has.”
“Some researchers have also theorized that sensory issues in Autistics are, at least in part, caused by the anxiety and hypervigilance we experience from living in a world that doesn’t accommodate us, and often treats us with hostility”.
Considering the amount of discrimination autistic people face, reading “Unmasking Autism” has been a wonderfully validating and educational experience so far. I look forward to sharing more short quotes with you as I read on.