Autistic adults often face a dilemma of whether to conceal or reveal their autism diagnosis or autistic identity due to *stigma. Clearly, to improve autistic adults’ experiences of disclosure, it is crucial to reduce public stigma and create more inclusive environments. However, as change can be slow, we believe that autistic adults should also be empowered to make informed, strategic disclosure decisions. So, we have developed this guide that aims to support autistic adults in making decisions around sharing their autism diagnosis or autistic identity.

This guide will start by taking you through the pros and cons of disclosing your autism diagnosis or autistic identity in different settings. Then, for times you want to disclose, you'll learn strategies for sharing relatively safely and crafting a message that best represents your goals. 

We hope that by the end of using this guide, you will be much more confident in deciding when, how, who you want to share your autism diagnosis or autistic identity with!

A PDF version of this guide was initially co-produced with autistic adults as part of a published research study at University College London (UCL) in 2024. The strategies in this guide were drawn from an evidence-based programme called 'Honest, Open, Proud' founded by Patrick Corrigan and Jon Larson. In particular, the guide was adapted from the 'Up to Me' brief reflection booklet produced by the Wisconsin Initiative for Stigma Elimination (WISE) and Patrick Corrigan. The original study at UCL included optional peer support from autistic facilitators via email and an online forum. While facilitator support has ended and the forum is closed, the guide remains freely available. 

Based on participant feedback, this web version was created during a follow-on project at the University of Birmingham, in partnership with a group of autistic adults and an inclusive digital designer through a series of co-design workshops (December 2025 - March 2026). This website is currently being tested and refined to ensure that it is as usable and useful as possible. 

This guide is for autistic adults thinking about sharing their autistic identity or autism diagnosis.

You might find this guide helpful if you: 

• Recently received an autism diagnosis and are deciding who to tell

• Self-identify as autistic and are considering formal diagnosis or disclosure

• Have disclosed in some settings but are facing new situations

• Have had difficult disclosure experiences and want to approach it differently in the future

• Want to support other autistic adults with disclosure decisions

Even if you're not planning to disclose, this guide can help you:

• Understand your reasons for not sharing (ensuring your choice is empowered)

• Craft a personally meaningful narrative for yourself

• Consider different levels of disclosure (it doesn't have to be 'all or nothing')

• Prepare in case you change your mind in the future

If you are new to your diagnosis or self-identification, you may find it helpful to look at Further Information on autism before or alongside using this guide. 

This guide is designed to be used flexibly. If you're taking part in the evaluation of this guide, you will be contacted after three weeks to fill in a survey. However, this doesn't mean you need to finish the whole guide by then - you can work through it at your own pace. 

You can choose to:

• Complete it in one go - the full guide is estimated to take 3-5 hours in total, though some people may need more or less time

• Spread it out over a few weeks (e.g., one section per week) - each section may take around 1.5 hours

• Skip and return - focus on what's most relevant or important to you now and revisit other sections later 

• Work with/without support - use this guide on your own or with someone you trust (e.g., a family member, mentor, or therapist)

You can also use this checklist to track your progress through the guide.

Ultimately, there's no right or wrong way to use this guide - we want you to use what is helpful to you, in the way that works best for you.

If you would like more guidance on using the website or worksheets, please visit our Accessibility Help page.