Autistic adults often face a dilemma of whether to share their autism diagnosis or autistic identity due to *stigma. While reducing public stigma is crucial, change can be slow. So, we have developed this guide to support autistic adults in making more informed, strategic disclosure decisions.

This guide will start by taking you through the pros and cons of disclosing in different settings. Then, for times you want to disclose, you'll learn strategies for sharing 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 workbook produced by the Wisconsin Initiative for Stigma Elimination (WISE) and Patrick Corrigan. 

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). The website was then tested and refined based on participant feedback (April - September 2026). 

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. You can choose to:

• Complete it in full - completing all the content and exercises is estimated to take 3 hours in total, though some people may need more or less time.

• Skip and return - focus on what's most important to you now and revisit other parts later. You can use this decision flowchart to help you find the personally relevant sections.

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

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