Ted Audio Collective

Hey listeners, it's Dr. Shoshana Unger-Lighter, your host for Ted Health.

Lately, I've felt pressure to put on a happy face, even when I'm having a hard time.

There are times when we all pretend to be something or someone that we're not, usually

to impress others or to hide our insecurities. There are other more destructive kinds of masking

when we hide who we really are or hide something essential about ourselves because we think others

won't like it or they won't understand it. The talk today is by Kate Kale, an advocate for autism

acceptance. She shares what it's like for women and girls who are neuroatypical to feel like they

have to hide who they are in the world and how she aims to change that.

Got a business problem? There's a Ted Talk for that. Stay updated on everything business.

On Ted Business, a podcast hosted by Columbia Business School Professor Modoupe Akanola.

Every week, she'll introduce you to leaders with unique insights on work, answering questions like,

how do four day work weeks work? Do will a machine ever take my job? Get some surprising answers

on Ted Business, wherever you listen to podcasts. As a young woman, I've had some pretty cool

opportunities. One that I'm most proud of is having my art displayed at the DMA before I turn 17.

When I was in the auditorium with all the other young artists being honored for our achievements,

I couldn't think of how proud I was of myself. All I could think about was the velvet

ofholstery of the chairs touching the back of my arms and legs. For me, the sensation of

touching velvet is unbearable. You may be thinking, I don't like certain textures either,

but there's more to the story you need to know. I'm Kate Kale, I'm 20 years old, and I'm autistic.

When I was a freshman in high school, my family noticed that I was having difficulty connecting

with my peers. I had also developed severe anxiety and it showed up in unexpected ways.

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