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Note: It is possible that some of these exercises may remind you of difficult situations. You may want to complete them with the support of a trusted person and/or seek additional Support Resources if you feel distressed at any point.
Different levels of disclosure
Different levels of disclosure
It might seem obvious, but you can choose between different levels of disclosure in each setting. We describe five levels here and guide you through the possible pros and cons of each level.
Level 1. Social avoidance
Level 1. Social avoidance
Not telling anyone that you are autistic and avoiding situations where people may find out about it.
⭕ Pros: You limit the possibility of encountering people that will treat you unfairly.
❌ Cons: You lose the opportunity to meet people who may possibly be supportive.
Level 2. Privacy
Level 2. Privacy
Participating in activities, but keeping your autism diagnosis or autistic identity private.
⭕ Pros: You may be able to withhold information from others so they have less power to hurt you, while still participating in activities that are important to you.
❌ Cons: Concealing your autism diagnosis or autistic identity can be stressful and tiring. You may also miss out on the support that you need because people do not know that you are autistic.
Level 3. Selective disclosure
Level 3. Selective disclosure
Telling a few select individuals you are autistic, but not everyone.
⭕ Pros: You may be able to find a small group of people who can understand you, accept you, and provide the support you need.
❌ Cons: You may have difficulty keeping track of who knows and who doesn’t. People you have disclosed to may also tell others.
Level 4. Open disclosure
Level 4. Open disclosure
Being open about your autistic identity or autism diagnosis if the topic comes up, but not actively telling people.
⭕ Pros: You don’t have to worry about who knows or people finding out that you are autistic.
❌ Cons: You may disclose to people who will not react well or hurt you with the information.
Level 5. Advocacy
Level 5. Advocacy
Actively seeking out and educating people about autism to challenge false beliefs about autism.
⭕ Pros: You are fostering a personal sense of power in yourself. You are helping to combat stigma.
❌ Cons: You may get hostile responses to your message. There may be people who disapprove of what you are advocating for.
Again, your choice may differ depending on the setting - for example, you may choose Level 3 (selective disclosure) in your personal life, and Level 5 (advocacy) in your professional life. Your choice may also change over time in each setting - for example, you may start off at Level 2 (privacy) but progress to Level 3 (selective disclosure) as you get to know the environment and people better.
However, remember that once you disclose, you can’t take it back ⚠️
Scenario: sharing in a university setting
Scenario: sharing in a university setting
Let’s consider the different levels of disclosure in the following scenario: Joy is an autistic woman who recently started university, and is wondering whether to tell people that she is autistic.
As you look at each level below, have a think about:
What are some pros and cons of each option?
If you were in Joy's position, what might you choose?
Level 1. Social avoidance
Level 1. Social avoidance
Joy may choose social avoidance, which means she decides not to tell anyone she is autistic and avoids situations where people may find out she is autistic. For Joy, this may look like attending lectures and seminars, but not having meals with her seminar groupmates. Joy may also join a music club given her interest in music but minimise her interactions with other club members.
Level 2. Privacy
Level 2. Privacy
Alternatively, Joy may choose privacy, which means that she participates in social activities while keeping her autism diagnosis or autistic identity private. For Joy, this may mean getting to know people in her seminar group or music club. However, she does not tell any of her groupmates or fellow club members that she is autistic, and may find herself trying to mask her autistic traits while interacting with them.
Level 3. Selective disclosure
Level 3. Selective disclosure
Joy may also choose selective disclosure, in which case she would tell a select few individuals, but not everyone, that she is autistic. Joy may disclose to the university’s disability support officer, her personal tutor, and a few of her seminar groupmates or close friends in her music club.
Level 4. Open disclosure
Level 4. Open disclosure
Another option for Joy is open disclosure, where Joy decides to no longer hide that she is autistic. For Joy, this may look like joining the university’s autism society. She will not actively tell everyone she is autistic, but if someone asks her about her involvement in the society, she will answer them honestly.
Level 5. Advocacy
Level 5. Advocacy
The final option for Joy is advocacy. As an advocate, Joy will actively seek out and educate people about autism in order to change false ideas about autism. Together with the university’s autism society, Joy may organise events to increase students’ and staffs’ understanding and acceptance of autistic people.
Worksheet 2: Considering five levels of disclosure
Worksheet 2: Considering five levels of disclosure
Now, pick a setting that is most relevant to you or recent in your life and consider the pros and cons of the five levels of disclosure. Don’t worry if you find that some of the levels are less useful or more difficult to complete. You don’t have to fill in the whole worksheet. You can also choose to leave any parts blank and return to them later.
Click on the embedded worksheet (or the ↗️ button for computers/laptops).
Fill it in by making a copy to your Google Drive or downloading it onto your device.
Note: If you’ve decided at this point that sharing with others is not the right choice for you, you may wish to briefly review the next few sections to see if they are relevant to you, but you do not have to complete them. In any case, you may find it helpful to revisit your decision by going over this section again in the future.
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