Socially masking during work

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This is a good article on the subject of social masking at work. No, you are not a fake if you change your personality, according to context - whether that be being a Dad at home if you are a Dad at home, or being a Mum at home if you are at home, or being a supervisor at a retail store, or being a computer programmer, or whatever a persons job is.

The more an Autistic is able to socially mask, and the better an Autistic person is able to socially mask - the more successful they will be in a world dominated by NT's. It is that simple.

It is okay to be a big child - but don't try to tear down other Autistic folk who are trying to be an adult, in some respects, at least.

Those Autistic adults that you see as fake, are probably incredibly stressed and mentally unhealthy on some level, but there are also mental/cognitive benefits to having a place in society within the work sector, for some people, anyway.

Everyone is an individual - treat everyone like an individual and you will be considered socially intelligent by others.

Yes, the boundaries are definitely important. I don't have a diagnosis, but am starting an assessment soon. Even though I work with autistic people, I'm not sure I'll be open about a diagnosis if I get one.

I seem to have not posted the link. Here it is:

https://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/content/other/is-bringing-your-whole-self-to-work-a-good-idea

I think I just lucked out that most don't like my personality or appearance

Masking during work is a necessity. Even when masking, autistic folks are different enough to just be barely tolerated in a team. So it's a kind of double problem where you both have to hide your true self and learn to let criticism of the true self that nevertheless seeps through not affect you personally. Perhaps it'll change in 20 years or so. At least we have awareness now, so acceptance doesn't seem as much an unattainable idea as it was 20 years ago.

Part of the problem is also that autistic people are, usually by definition, not great at social matters and as such don't understand or can't do advocacy, especially as a united group. Physically disabled people or sexual minorities still have as much social ability as any regular chap so they easily band together to let their needs be heard. To me, autistic people tend to be like singular planets each orbiting in their own universe so it's hard to bring them together to raise awareness further and bring acceptance about. I'm guilty of this mindset myself.

Put two aspies together in a workplace and you'll sadly see them competing for the "who is the least disabled" prize rather than working together to improve their shared situation. Maybe I'm being overly harsh here, though, sorry if I am.