| Acknowledgments | 7 |
| Introduction | 9 |
| 1 | How Exactly Do We Talk About Autism? | 13 |
| How I define autism | 15 |
| Unpacking ableism | 18 |
| The advocacy and disclosure recap | 40 |
| 2 | Why Is Disclosure So Tricky? | 43 |
| Support | 45 |
| Accommodations | 47 |
| Acceptance | 48 |
| Figuring out the goals | 49 |
| 3 | Disclosing for Parents: Talking to Neurodivergent Kids About Themselves | 51 |
| How to tell your child | 56 |
| Answering questions from your child | 69 |
| A few things I think make questions and conversations easier | 71 |
| 4 | Disclosing for Parents: Trusting and Telling Other Kids and Adults | 81 |
| Talking to siblings and other family members | 82 |
| Do a lot of Listening | 84 |
| Continue to carve out time just for them | 85 |
| Advocating for your child at school-the IEP and 504 Plan | 86 |
| Advocacy in healthcare | 91 |
| Community inclusion, activities, and disclosure | 95 |
| Oh, the places you go! Travel disclosure for families | 99 |
| Telling random strangers | 103 |
| Disclosing on the internet | 108 |
| 5 | Disclosing for Individuals: Developing Autistic Identity | 119 |
| Disclosure as a set-up for life | 119 |
| Shaping your narrative: how to develop strategies and tools to best tell your story and advocate for your needs | 127 |
| Developing self-advocacy skills with perspective | 133 |
| 6 | Disclosing for Individuals: Disclosing to Family Members, Romantic Partners, and Friends | 135 |
| When your family is the last to figure it out: keeping your cool and having a talk | 137 |
| Loving and accepting you: talking the talk in potential and current romantic relationships | 152 |
| Exploring neurodiversity and a new diagnosis | 156 |
| 7 | Disclosing for Individuals: Keeping it Professional and Disclosing Neurodivergence at Work | 165 |
| Before we even get started: applications and interviews | 166 |
| Employee resource groups and related disability inclusion initiatives | 188 |
| If you suspect you are being discriminated against | 191 |
| Reacting as an employer: what to do when someone discloses a disability or you suspect one | 192 |
| 8 | Disclosing for Individuals: Random Situations Where You May Self-Advocate and Disclose | 197 |
| Advocating in public and with strangers | 197 |
| Sharing on the internet | 198 |
| On the road again: disclosing while traveling | 200 |
| Gyms, fitness, and recreational activities | 204 |
| Higher education: disclosing at college, university, and post-secondary programs | 207 |
| Sharing: healthcare decisions and doctors | 209 |
| Conclusion | 213 |
| References | 217 |