The difference between masking and code switching

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I’ve heard both terms be used before, but isn’t it just putting on a fake face in order to deal with people? I might be wrong, but that’s what i’ve understood about it

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Generally in the context, if we say two people are doing effectively the same thing, but one would be masking and the other is code switching. Masking is a form of camoflaging who you really are, generally in a mental health context, in order to conform to the realities of the situation, and is usually “required” to exist in that situation. By comparison code switching would be more like adapting the way your underlying self is to the situation, such as being more professional at work, or your accent/dialect switching when talking to different people/groups.

The line is blurry because ultimately they tend to be similar, but usually you would mask and code switch, but not code switch and mask (if you get what I mean). Someone who commonly masks would probably also code switch to their environment, because they’re already portraying a different persona for the situation they’re in, but someone who just code switches wouldn’t necessarily be masking.

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