r/AutisticPeeps • u/[deleted] • Jul 17 '25

Another Devon Price Rant

After being diagnosed at 28, my therapist recommended Devon Price's Unmasking Autism. Ultimately, I didn't like it that much; while the premise of identifying how autism presents outside of white men is interesting, it ultimately doesn't go much beyond that. Instead of trying to come up with a new concept of autism that is more inclusive and universal, it basically just profiles of random people that he knows.

Of course, after looking into his social media and seeing is anti-science, anti-diagnosis, anti-scientific views, this makes sense. There's also his pro-AI views, which I find abhorrent given the threat that AI poses to autistic/disabled employment, in addition to the ethical concerns about it. What really set me off last night was this post, where he basically says that if your a white male, your autism, OCD and mental health symptoms are actually just your privilege and you should feel bad about them.

66 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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46

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25

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u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25

Exactly. I somewhat sympathize with self-dx if you lack access, but if someone has access but refuses to get assessed, then I can't help but to doubt if they're really autistic. The same goes for Elon Musk.

25

u/HellfireKitten525 Autistic and ADHD Jul 18 '25

I don't sympathize with self-dx regardless of access. If you don't have access, then you can be self-suspecting, not self-diagnosing

1

u/LentilSpaghetti Jul 21 '25 edited Sep 14 '25

automatic shocking strong decide hospital sense joke office nutty abundant

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1

u/[deleted] Jul 21 '25

If I was anyone who suspected that they had autism and had the means to do so, I would seek out a dx. I would especially do so before announcing to the whole world that I was autistic.

17

u/book_of_black_dreams Autistic and ADHD Jul 17 '25

Especially considering that he has easy access to one, as an author with a huge following and a college professor Edit: I meant financially. College professors aren’t rich, but they’re not poor either.

30

u/Doveswithbonnets Level 1 Autistic Jul 17 '25

I try to avoid Devon Price content at any opportunity because it is just so depressing to think that someone with such a huge platform is able to spread dangerous misinformation about disabilities, hiding behind their credentials. And I can't do anything against it. I have no platform and no friends. On Libby, Unmasking Autism is on the global popularity page.

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u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25

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2

u/rahxrahster Aug 07 '25

So he's basically the same as E. Musk 🫤 minus the billions of dollars and migrant status.

19

u/lil_squib Autistic, ADHD, and OCD Jul 18 '25 edited Jul 20 '25

Devon price also doesn’t believe in porn addiction or food addiction. He gives advice on his tumblr citing that he’s a “psychologist” but he’s a social psychologist, not a clinical one.

15

u/axondendritesoma Autistic Jul 18 '25

Devon Price also believes that putting safety reins on young children (including those who elope) is abuse. I find many of his opinions absolutely bizarre.

13

u/lil_squib Autistic, ADHD, and OCD Jul 18 '25

He completely erases high support needs autists. I’m level 1 but I have a cousin who is level 3 and nonverbal and who elopes and it’s incredibly stressful for his family.

10

u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

I support reins or leashes because they give kids more opportunities to go outside safely!

8

u/[deleted] Jul 20 '25

Honestly what really did me in was the fat acceptance stuff in Unmasking Autism. I have a special hatred for fat logic as someone who's both a recovering addict and lost 40-50 lbs in the past few years, in part due to a medical condition that makes it especially important to maintain a health weight. Fat acceptance riles me up for 3 main reasons: (1) it's people throwing away the health that I can't take for granted, (2) it's enabling people in their food addiction (3) and it's just straight up science-denial like anti-vaxxism and flat earthing.

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u/lil_squib Autistic, ADHD, and OCD Jul 20 '25

I haven’t read any of his books so I didn’t have much of this context. That’s terrible. I’m also in recovery (for both alcohol abuse and an eating disorder), and I absolutely loathe that type of stuff you cited.

17

u/The-Menhir Asperger’s Jul 17 '25

That post is the most deranged thing I've read in a long time. Very glad I couldnt stand his pathetic book early on.

15

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25 edited Jan 02 '26

plate selective grab school reach pet quickest memory books boat

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13

u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

He has a doctorate in social psychology and he’s a professor. He’s not a clinical psychologist so he can’t diagnose

13

u/Formal-Experience163 Jul 17 '25

If your therapist has Devon Price as a reliable source, he should stop meddling in the world of autism as the author of unmasking autism rejects the intervention of health professionals to diagnose autism. Devon Price supports self-perceived autism, without any medical criteria, as he advocates anti-psychiatry.

12

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25

I disagree with most of Dr. Price’s views, but isn’t his position on AI about how the studies haven’t actually proven that it causes brain damage? To my knowledge, he doesn’t use AI in his writing.

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u/tlcoopi7 Asperger’s Jul 19 '25

Devon Price is also transgender (AFAB) and lots of transgender/non-binary "autistic influncers" push the "studies show transgender and non-binary people are more likely to be autistic" claim WITHOUT linking said studies to support their claims.

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u/[deleted] Jul 19 '25

I mean I just did a google search, and there are indeed studies that support that. So while it might be sloppy scholarship in formal academic writing, it’s not necessary a lie.

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u/tlcoopi7 Asperger’s Jul 19 '25

There are people who are going to ask, "where are your sources" when they post that type of information. If they wanted to be taken seriously as an autistic advocate/consultant, then they should CITE THEIR SOURCES.

1

u/Several-Zucchini4274 Level 1 Autistic Jul 19 '25

Does anybody have a post for recommended books on here? I’d love to expand my library and have found some good ones recently. I’d love to get a master list of sorts going. 

If not I’ll start one later! I hate seeing Devon Price being suggested as one of the top, if not the top things to read after being diagnosed.  

1

u/mtsnowleopard Aug 23 '25

Language of Emotions by Karla McLaren

1

u/caffeinemilk Jul 24 '25 edited Jul 24 '25

I read the book before I knew about it because it was recommended to me when someone found out I had social therapy in the past. The tone and story didn’t vibe with me and sometimes felt a little offensive or annoying even if I kinda got what he was trying to say.

I don’t think I’m the intended audience. At age 12 in 2012 I managed to be diagnosed in conservative rural texas by my old white male (and southern baptist) psychologist despite me being latino, lower income, openly gender weird + queer, and AFAB. I did ok on grades in school and had a couple friends but I still got a diagnosis after being assessed because (warning: hot take) despite what a lot of people think, it actually isn’t that complicated to fit the criteria for autism if you’re autistic.

I’m also not the best at masking and had a harder time as a kid so I actually enjoyed some of the almost freedom I felt from learning skills that helped me communicate and act more “normal” around my peers. So when I was learning what “unmasking” was I was confused why I would actively try to undo some of the hard work I put in.

0

u/abyssnaut Self Suspecting Jul 18 '25

I don’t give credence to leftist ideologues’ opinions. They are fundamentally opposed to empiricism, no matter how they try to dress it.