'The world has little to no consideration for autism in its design'

To be authentic is to not be a copy, and to be a unique expression of self. However, we often put forward the 'self’ that makes us accepted in the world.

This means masking who we are and the things that are met with disapproval, making us feel vulnerable. It also means we copy the things we’ve seen make others succeed.

If this sounds familiar to you, maybe you’ll relate to autistic masking.

What is autistic masking?

Autistic masking is when an autistic person camouflages as a survival strategy. This can appear as any of the following:

• Forcing or faking eye contact during conversations;
• imitating smiles and other facial expressions;
• mimicking gestures;
• hiding or minimising personal interests;
• developing a repertoire of rehearsed responses to questions;
• scripting conversations; and
• disguising stimming (repetitive sounds or movements) behaviours.

This is often done as the person recognises the importance of appearing neurotypical, either to avoid being bullied, harassed, socially outcasted, to get or keep a job, and to fit in.

What are the problems of autistic masking?

This may seem like a good idea. However, long term, this can lead to poor mental health, autistic burnout, or worse.

Autistic burnout was defined in the Autism in Adulthood journal as "having all of your internal resources exhausted beyond measure and being left with no clean-up crew".

This can manifest as chronic exhaustion, loss of skills, and reduced tolerance to stimulus.

Meanwhile, research has shown that autistic people have "an up to eightfold increased risk of death by suicide compared to non-autistic people".

Autism and work

Contrary to popular culture references, not all autistic people are savant and super geniuses.

In fact, though special abilities are more common in autism than in other groups, a study in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders shows that only 28% of autistic people have special talent.

However, Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, the director of Cambridge University’s Autism Research Centre, has linked autism to innovation, stating that the autistic brain seeks out 'if-and-then' patterns. This type of thinking allows us to invent and is a great fit for science and engineering.

In the past, I’ve found myself advocating for autism awareness and acceptance through the lens of the value our systemising minds bring to business and the economy. On reflection, I now see that this approach is flawed.

Why? Because no one’s inclusion should be based on whether they’re useful to a business.

I now take a dual approach that highlights the value of our differences while acknowledging that we don’t need to earn our right to exist. We were all born worthy.

Valuing the differences - instead of just ‘sameness’

We say we want diversity, and the great outcome diversity brings. In fact, we push for homogeneity for simplicity, and create all systems, from education to infrastructure, for a fictional ‘normal’ person.

This could explain why a 2024 report found that only three in 10 autistic adults are employed.

It leads me to think we only really value ‘sameness’.

It may be what makes us feel safe, to be surrounded by people that are just like us. However, what’s the point in saying we value difference, if when it counts, we ask people to be the same?

In the case of neurodiversity, the world is still set up in a way where you have to mask or conform by behaving in a neurotypical way.

The world has little to no consideration for us in its design, from little things like a shopping mall playing loud music to the large-scale assumption that everyone thinks the same.

The need for change

Humanity is at a crossroads, facing an existential climate crisis. The actions and the mindset that got us here won’t get us out of this.

We need different minds to solve it. This is already seen in the push for gender diversity in STEM, higher public office or even Fortune 500 companies.

In the bid to increase female representation, we often ask women to model themselves against male leadership or what the stereotypes of how leadership should be performed.

That's not diversity!

We must stop shouting diversity if we are only seeking diverse exteriors without diverse minds, thinking styles, abilities, and so on.

What changes can you make?

Here are some questions for more inclusive communication:

• Be honest and straightforward;
• Ditch the sarcasm and irony;
• Be respectful and patient; and
• Consider if any information is implied, rather than shared explicitly.

Here are some questions for employers:

• Are your team events accessible and inclusive? For example, is a weekend away sharing a room with bunk beds, an inclusive activity?
• Is career progression tied up in attending social events, masking or seeming neurotypical?

Here are some questions for the wider industry:

• Engineering is about the built environment. There should be roles here suited for different types of people and their learning preferences and communication styles. How are we communicating what we do?
• As we focussed on the holistic outcome of our work? How are we showing you can be a competent engineer by having the depth, but little breadth, allowing space for those who prefer a hyper focus on a specialism?

Making the changes for a neurodiverse person is no different to making provision of a ramp for a wheelchair user.

The neurotypical and neurodiverse person are equally valuable, however they’re not the same.

We don’t have to be the same, act the same, and look the same to be valuable. Our differences can be a strength, if we let it be.