UNIFY – Unit for Family, Diversity & Equality Lunchtalk Digital: Performing Productivity and Performing Neurotype – Autistic Masking in University Contexts

Autistic people who “have made it” to university are in a multiple double bind situation: Their autism is embraced only when it is hyped as genius and shows in productive hyperfocus. At the same time, working and studying in academia creates unstructured and changing environments that are very anxietyinducing for many autistic people. Consequently, academia is a field of high rise and high fall for many. When we talk about this, we are often seen as individualistic and exaggerating (because we are doing so fine usually), and when we don’t, we fall into masking behavior easily – splitting off our work persona from other aspects of our personality. This talk aims to help autistic people in academia understand their societal position better, and to help allies create spaces where autistic colleagues don’t need to hide their truer selves.