“Masking is not just about autism. It’s about survival, identity, and being seen — or not seen at all.”
This powerful insight sits at the heart of a significant new piece of research by Tiffany Nelson and Hannah Lichwaba. Their work centres the lived realities of Black Autistic girls in the UK education system, a group so often pushed to the margins of policy, support, and understanding.
Why This Research Needs to Be Heard
We talk a lot these days about inclusion, neurodiversity, and equity. But too often, that conversation overlooks those standing at the sharpest intersection of multiple identities. This study doesn’t just fill a gap, it names the silence.
Through careful, respectful interviews with four girls aged 16–17, Nelson and Lichwaba explore what it really means to navigate school as a Black Autistic girl. Their findings invite us to listen differently, not just to what’s said, but to what’s felt and lived every day.
Seeing Through a Kaleidoscope
To honour the complexity of these young people’s experiences, the researchers developed a new analytical framework: Kaleidoscope Analysis.
This approach weaves together:
- Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)
- Intersectionality Theory
- Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit)
Like a kaleidoscope, the framework allows for shifting patterns — it recognises that identity isn’t static, and experience can’t be reduced to a single story or lens. It’s a refreshing, rigorous move away from one-size-fits-all narratives.
Five Interwoven Themes
What emerged from the study is rich, layered, and urgent. These five themes speak volumes:
- Belonging Isn’t Optional
The girls described a deep desire not just to be included, but to be recognised. Not tolerated, not tokenised truly seen. - Social Expectations as Pressure Points
Masking became a tool for survival, shaped by the need to fit in not just as Autistic students, but as Black girls expected to behave, speak, and present in particular ways. - The Weight of First Impressions
One participant shared: “Before people see the autism, they see my race.” That single sentence encapsulates so much about how prejudice operates. - Sensory Struggles Misunderstood
Sensory overload in classrooms often went unnoticed or, worse, interpreted as rudeness or bad behaviour. There’s a cost to being misunderstood. - Relationships Matter
Supportive adults and peers weren’t just “nice to have,” they were often the difference between masking in silence and being able to breathe.
Implications for Schools, Psychologists, and System Leaders
This isn’t just a study to read it’s one to act on. Nelson and Lichwaba offer clear, thoughtful recommendations that should become part of everyday practice:
- Prioritise intersectional, neuro-affirming approaches
- Reject deficit-based models of behaviour
- Challenge racialised and gendered expectations with humility and care
- Create spaces for pupil voice and really listen
- Build inclusive environments that don’t just accommodate difference, but celebrate it.
A Reflection for the EDUK Network
At EDUK, we often say: equality isn’t an add-on, it’s the foundation. This research echoes that truth. It’s a reminder that anti-racism, neurodiversity, and belonging must be stitched into every policy, conversation, and classroom.
We’re proud to spotlight this work, and we encourage everyone in our networks, whether you’re in education, psychology, leadership, or community practice to engage deeply with it. Read it. Share it. Reflect on it. Let it change how you work.
Read the full article (open access):
The lived experiences of masking Black Autistic girls in UK education by Tiffany Nelson & Hannah Lichwaba https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/02667363.2025.2541211
Questions to Explore with Your Team or Network:
- Where in your setting is intersectionality already being addressed — and where is it missing?
- What does genuine belonging look, sound, and feel like for every learner?
- How do we move from good intentions to anti-oppressive impact?
There is an urgency to talk about inclusion to practice it and to do this at every level.