It’s been a little over a month now since a doctor confirmed my suspicions: I am, in fact, autistic. Navigating these past few weeks has been interesting. I’ve known for a few years now that this was part of who I was. Needless to say it felt like a huge relief when someone with “authority” agreed with me. However, it has also brought up a lot of sadness and anger over all the times I was judged and misunderstood growing up.
It has also been interesting to see people’s reactions over hearing the news. My sisters weren’t surprised at all. My parents said they knew something was different about me, but didn’t know what. Other family members have admitted that now they have to revisit their views of what autism looks like.
So here’s to this journey… I spent 40 years of my life learning to mask. Now is time to learn how to unmask.
The Slow Unmasking 