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Navigating Identity: The Importance of Autistic Shielding
Authenticity is complex as social behaviors are influenced by cultural contexts. Marginalized individuals often adapt their behaviors for safety, employing strategies like code-switching or Autistic Masking. Autistic Shielding, a more genuine expression of identity, fosters connection within marginalized communities, allowing individuals to embrace their true selves in safer environments.
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Definitions for Autistic Shielding and Neuro-Anarchy
I created the terms Autistic shielding and neuro-anarchy and use both fairly regularly. These terms mean a lot to me, as a way to explain how I understand my own embodiment and how I see myself within Autistic communities and wider society. In true Katie style I am finally (about two years later!) defining these…
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Autistic Shielding: Being authentic is a privilege
Cw: racism, violence, murder, police brutality. Autistic Shielding is not a tool or headstate that we can all obtain in our current world. A lot of us fear being our authentic Autistic selves for many reasons. We can be vulnerable people due to our trusting nature and differences in reading social interactions. Add intersecting identities…
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Autistic shielding: reclaiming my weird
As I have written before, Autistic shielding involves being authentic in our Autistic embodiment (What is Autistic shielding?). This allows us to turn away intolerant people and find our neurokin. My Autistic embodiment involves an uncontrollably expressive face, singing the same jingle or song over and over, talking to myself, narrating all my daily activities,…
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The difference between Autistic masking and Autistic shielding
“Autistic shielding appreciates that there is no such thing as invisible differences or disabilities – simply that people do not care enough to educate themselves and really see other people. Shielding is projecting the most intense, strange and wonderful things about yourself – waving our freak flags high for all to see. ”