According to many women who were diagnosed with autism later in life, the male validation mask is one of the strongest and most misunderstood masking techniques in women. This technique involves leaning into the idea that women should seek out and base their lives upon male validation.
Holly Madison, a 45-year-old former Playboy model, talked about this masking technique in more detail in an interview with Page Six on Wednesday, October 16. In the interview, she talks about how she wasn’t officially diagnosed with autism until 2023 when she was 42 years old.
Now, she strongly believes her autism is connected to her becoming Hugh Hefner’s number one girlfriend for years.
Madison went into detail about how she felt her challenges with autism made her more vulnerable to manipulation by Hugh Hefner, who was more than 50 years older than her during her time at Playboy. Madison said she was only 21 years old when she moved into the mansion and believed she was “in love” with Hefner. She described that she often felt like she was falling for people simply because the other person was good at manipulating or knew how to target what she needed emotionally.
She also explained how her autism influenced her motivations and perception of things. She often felt excluded and different from her peers. She also discussed how other girls in the Playboy mansion would bully her.
This recent autism diagnosis has helped Madison piece together her past and find forgiveness for some of the decisions she’s made.
Holly will appear as an ambassador at the 2025 Grant a Gift Gala in Las Vegas. This event is designed to help support children, adolescents, and young adults with autism.
Seeking Support for Autism in Las Vegas
Getting an autism diagnosis is extremely validating for older adults, but it’s even more beneficial to receive an early diagnosis. One of the key benefits of an early autism diagnosis is being connected with the right resources and help to navigate the condition.
If your younger loved one was recently diagnosed with autism, then it can be massively beneficial to consider enrolling them in ABA therapy. The right ABA therapy can help autistic youth gain confidence, shed maladaptive coping mechanisms, become more independent, and learn new adaptive skills.
Here at the Nevada Autism Center, our goal is to empower your youngster to become as autonomous, independent, and successful as possible. We provide proven ABA therapy services in a one-on-one setting, offer family guidance, and teach younger autistic youth the social skills they need. We also offer summer camps to help youngsters get ready for school. Our 8,000 sq ft center is equipped to host therapy sessions, social skills groups, group play, and independent exploration. Our team is made up of some of the most caring and compassionate educated behavior analysists and staff members throughout Nevada.
Currently, the facility accepts many forms of insurance, including BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna, United Healthcare, and more. Get started on the enrollment process now by filling out our online form.
