I was hoping to do my own take on this but between being quite busy and the combination of temperatures of 30C and above and the accompanying humidity, my energy has been even more depleted and limited than ever. The mix of high humidity, and fibromyalgia and ME, is not a good one.
Short explanation: It's a campaign being run by advocates Kieran Rose (The Autistic Advocate), Hannah Molesworth (Do I look Autistic Yet?), Sara-Hane Harvey (Agony Autie) and Christa Holmans (Neurodivergent Rebel), and supported by the autistic activist/advocate community. This is a campaign by and for autistic people on the problems of masking, and is aimed at reducing the need (or the perception of the need) to mask our true autistic selves and replace them with a "mask" of neurotypicality. Here's the link to more details about the campaign: http://www.theautisticadvocate.com/2018/06/takethemaskoff.html
In lieu of my own article on the subject at this point (hopefully I will be able to catch up at a later date), this entry will be a collection of links to the many fantastic and informative posts written by other autistics, many of whom are friends of mine and who are fantastic people. For ease of use, I'm listing them in alphabetical order. If there are any I've missed, I will edit this post to include them.
Adriana L. White: #TakeTheMaskOff week 1
AutieFortyAndFAB: Some Thoughts on #TakeTheMaskOff
Autism Education: What is Masking?
Autistic Science Lady: Accepting my Autistic self
Autistic Superhero: Autism Unmasked
Autistic Zebra: What is Masking
Autistic Zebra: More on Masking
Autist Stuff: Why I keep my mask in my pocket
Blogging Astrid: What is Masking
Cambria's Big Fat Autistic Blog: My Relationship with the Mask
Cat Amongst Wolves: What is Masking
Comments From the Pecan Galelry: What is Masking
Eve Reiland: When The Mask Was Donned
Finally Knowing Me: Wasting Energy
Hannah Molesworth: Sky News interview about #TakeTheMaskOff
Inside The Rainbow: What It's Like to Wear the Mask
Libby's Autism Blog: What is Masking
Live chat between the 4 campaign launchers
Luciane Hatadani
Peter Wynn: Stop Masking It
Rosie Writes: Pass my Mask, I need to leave the house...
The Asian Aspergirl: Understanding Aspies #TakeTheMaskOff Challenge
The Autistic Advocate: I am not OK
From prior to this campaign - not part of #TakeTheMaskOff but highly relevant to it:
Ryan Boren - Autistic Burnout: The Cost of Coping and Passing
Understanding Autistics: transitioning from being a lost 'neurotypical' to a happy autistic
