What Autism and Sex Work Taught Me About Authenticity

Her Testimony Shattered My Preconceptions — Here’s Why We Need to Listen

There are stories that don’t just stick with you — they transform the way you see the world. This is one of those stories: the testimony of a 31-year-old autistic sex worker who not only redefined her identity but challenged everything I thought I knew about autism, work, and self-acceptance.

This isn’t just her story. It’s a lens into how society misunderstands neurodivergence and why we must break free from stereotypes to embrace a fuller understanding of human potential.

A Misfit in the 9-to-5 World

Her journey began like so many others. At 20, she struggled to hold down a job, feeling out of sync in a world designed for neurotypicals. The rigid 9-to-5 structure drained her energy and chipped away at her sense of self-worth.

“I felt like I was trying to solve a puzzle where none of the pieces fit,” she explained.

Then came the pandemic — a strange kind of freedom. Stripped of societal pressures, she found clarity.

“For the first time, I wasn’t masking,” she shared, referencing the exhausting act of hiding her autistic traits to fit in. “I could finally just be.”