Passing

The act of concealing one's disability or neurodivergence to be perceived as non-disabled or neurotypical by others. Passing can be a deliberate strategy to avoid stigma, discrimination, or unwanted attention, or it may occur by default when a disability is not visible. While passing can provide protection from negative reactions, it comes at significant psychological cost — including the stress of constant self-monitoring, the emotional labor of suppressing authentic behaviors, loss of identity cohesion, and barriers to receiving support or accommodations. In workplace contexts, passing is closely related to masking and non-disclosure decisions, and is influenced by organizational culture, perceived safety, and the individual's relationship to their disability identity.