Common Challenges At School

Internalising & Hidden Anxieties

Autistic girls often internalise or 'mask' their difficulties (e.g., sensory, social, communication) resulting in symptoms of anxiety and depression.¹¹

Studies have shown that anxiety is higher in autistic females than in autistic males.¹²

Masking

One of the common experiences of internalised autism seen in many girls and gender diverse people is the ability to mask. Masking is when an autistic person, either consciously or subconsciously, supresses or hides their natural autistic behaviours and responses 3 . Masking can include forcing or faking eye contact, mimicking the behaviours, body language, or interests of others, hiding their discomfort over sensory stimuli, supressing stress and anxiety reactions, or trying not to shut down.

Masking is often done in order to fit in and make connections, while attempting to hide differences. As a result of masking, autistic girls and gender diverse people often appear more socially capable, less disruptive and display less obvious autistic presentations when compared to autistic individuals who display more external autistic traits. However, masking can be extremely exhausting, can result in a loss of identity, and is a contributing factor to mental health challenges in many autistic girls and gender diverse young people.

Masking, and the internalised autistic experience help explain why many autistic girls and gender diverse young people continue to fly under the radar and are undiagnosed and unsupported at greater rates than their autistic male peers.