Should I “Come Out” as Autistic?
Things to consider before coming out to employers, family, and friends
A friend of mine is considering “coming out” as Autistic to his family and friends. He hopes that by coming out, he’ll help people better understand some of his more unusual-seeming behaviors, and why he finds certain tasks and social settings difficult. Ideally, coming out will inspire his loved ones to do some research about how best to communicate with him and accommodate his specific sensory, social, and executive functioning needs.
My friend also has some serious reservations about telling people he’s Autistic. For one, he’s self-diagnosed, so he’s worried friends and family won’t actually believe him. Allistic (non-Autistic) people tend to think the Autism assessment process is a lot more accessible, scientific, and fair than it actually is, and tend to dismiss self-diagnosers. This is true despite the fact that Autism assessments aren’t designed to detect the vast majority of adult cases.
Further, my friend is worried that even those who believe he is Autistic won’t really understand what being Autistic means for him, or for their relationship with him. They might fail to understand how Autism impacts his experience of the world and how he connects with other people. They might show zero interest in learning more…
