Masking Is Not Submission — It’s the Most Radical Act of Defiance
Why hiding your true self isn’t just survival, but a powerful, silent rebellion rooted in the desperate need for autonomy.
There is a common belief about masking that it is simply compliance, an act of submitting to the social demands of a world that does not understand us. It is often described as a survival skill, a form of adaptation, or even a necessary evil to get by.
But what if this view misses the deeper truth? What if masking is not just compliance, but one of the most profound expressions of internal demand avoidance — a silent, invisible form of PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) rooted in the drive for autonomy?
For many highly masked neurodivergent adults, this reframing can be liberating. It moves us beyond shame and self-judgment and toward a compassionate understanding of the complex, often invisible battles we face.