Autistic and me

It’s been good few days now since we don’t have to wear face masks at work and one of my colleague told me I have very expressive face that she ‘loves’ and she looked genuinely excited when she said that.

I must say I am a bit confused now. My diagnostician told me after my diagnostic appointment that my face expressions are exaggerated but that was ages ago, before I found out about the concept of unmasking. Mind you, I’m not fully convinced unmasking is what is helpful, but I guess it has some uses.

I thought I got rid of my exaggerated face expressions and now I wonder that maybe I didn’t? Or at least I am at risk of going back to this tactic in the name of ‘doing more of what works’.

I really cannot imagine that neurotypical people don’t have those kind of dilemmas and they just behave ‘naturally’. What does that even mean?