#y'know how we (autistic comm) realized 'hey bpoc having to mask don't have a privilege over those of us who can afford not to mask'?

[anomalousmancunt]

hate the idea that "if you have this disability, you can mask it, so you're better off than people who can't mask at all". not because yeah, there is an advantage that comes from being able to mask - but because, how the fuck do you know if I'm able to?

I can't mask the physical impacts autism has on me - I can somewhat do a nicer voice than my natural one, I can try to learn how to talk to (not with) people, but that's about it. I can't mask the way the sun gives me overload, I can't avoid stimming in noticeable ways (specially not when overwhelmed, which happens often), I can't mask my lack of propioception or my weird way to move due to that. I can't mask the fact that I cannot make "normal" facial expressions because my face simply doesn't naturally move like that and trying to mask what I can drains my energy too much to also focus on that.

I also cannot mask how my autism interacts with my (other) physical disabilities + how it, in some (plenty of) cases, worsens them. The idea that it's "less severe" or "easier to hide" is infuriating.