Do only neurodivergence (ND) people do it??? 

No. Anyone can do it. But ND people do it more commonly because they sense danger more acutely than neurotypical people their nervous systems are more primed. Those with trauma will do it a lot too. 

Why is it bad??? 

It isn’t. If it helps keep the person feeling safe, it’s a positive coping strategy. 

So why do we want people to stop masking??? 

We don’t want people to stop masking if they need to. 

We want people to not feel that they need to mask!!! We want all people to feel safe in the work - safe to be themselves, express themselves, and be valued for who they are. 

How do we do this??? 

This is a bigger conversation but the short answer is to be open and respectful of each person’s self expression whether you know if they have any diagnosis or not. 

If you feel uncomfortable around someone’s quirks, if you struggle to communicate efficiently with someone, if you find yourself making internal judgement (hello “shoulds”), then ask yourself what’s going on for you, rather than expecting the other person to change for your comfort or ease.