All the World's a (Neurotypical) Stage: Neurodivergent Folklore, Autistic Masking, and Virtual Spaces for Discussing Autistic Identity

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Stanich, A. (2024). All the World's a (Neurotypical) Stage: Neurodivergent Folklore, Autistic Masking, and Virtual Spaces for Discussing Autistic Identity. Journal of American Folklore, 137(545), 293-307. https://doi.org/10.5406/15351882.137.545.02

Publication date: 1 Jan 2024 Added to AutiHub: 25 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Allison Stanich *

Abstract

Abstract In the field of folklore, there has been little attention paid to neurodivergence in relation to community despite the fact that a folkloric lens could productively be applied to aspects of neurodivergent culture(s) and neurodivergent communities. One such concept is “masking,” a conscious or subconscious act of suppressing neurodivergent traits in order to avoid stigma. Focusing on autism, this article discusses (1) masking as a performance of neurotypical identity, (2) how this type of performance can lead to autistic burnout and prevent autistic people from being authentically autistic, and (3) how social media has opened up spaces for discussions about masking, support, solidarity, and community as autistic content creators share their experiences of masking in a neurotypical world.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 28 Oct 2026 01:01.

Cited references
58
With a DOI
21
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
36
4 / 58 (6.9%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
25 / 58 (43.1%)
References with detected author names
33 / 58 (56.9%)
Without detected author names
25
Without a structured title
24
Without a stable identifier
35
References with raw author names still to review
24
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
60
From DOI or external metadata
60
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
30
14 / 60 (23.3%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 46 / 60 (76.7%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
5 / 60 (8.3%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 5 / 14 (35.7%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 5 / 60 (8.3%).
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