Unmasking | Autism Feature Documentary

Unmasking Autism: The stories women were never allowed to tell.

For years, she learned to smile at the right time.
To make eye contact.
To hide who she really was.
This is masking—and millions of women live it every day.
Unmasking is the documentary that will finally tell their stories. 

Unmasking gives voice to the multifaceted experiences of six autistic South African women from different walks of life. They all come together to attend a puppetry workshop and tell their stories, and in the process, we learn about them and their journeys. Some stories are traumatic, some joyful, but all of them serve to deepen our understanding of underrepresented autistic South African women.

Masking is when autistic individuals hide their traits to fit into society - often at great emotional cost.”This documentary challenges myths and misconceptions about autism – including that only boys and men experience autism. Girls and women do too, as autism doesn’t discriminate.

Wendy Bowley is an advocate for autistic rights, and is the d...