ALT In the first panel, Ryca smiles into the camera while holding up a thief-style mask. They say, "You may already know about autistic masking. It's when autistic people suppress their autistic traits to create a more favorable personality. It's a response to the hardships and demands of a neurotypical society." In the second panel, Ryca gestures towards three floating boxes. The first box has the word "FIGHT" written on it and has boxing gloves on either side of it. The second box has "Flight" written on it, and has wings on either side. The third and final box is made of ice and has the word "FREEZE" written on it. Ryca says, "You may also know about trauma responses. These biological responses happen when fear is aroused, but did you know that there's another trauma response that's very similar to masking?" Recently, psychologists have identified a new trauma response: fawning. Fawning is when you please and/or appease others to avoid conflict at the expense of your own needs.
