Autism acceptance activist and TikTok influencer Paige Layle shares her deeply personal journey to diagnosis and living life autistically.

“For far too long, I was told I was just like everyone else. But knew it couldn’t be true. Living just seemed so much harder for me. This wasn’t okay. This wasn’t normal. This wasn’t functioning. And it certainly wasn’t fine.”

Paige Layle was normal. She lived in the countryside with her mom, dad, and brother Graham. She went to school, hung out with friends, and all the while everything seemed so much harder than it needed to be. A break in routine threw off the whole day. If her teacher couldn't answer “why” in class, she dissolved into tears, unable to articulate her own confusion or explain her lack of control.

But Paige was normal. She smiled in photos, picked her feet up when her mom needed to vacuum instead of fleeing the room, and earned high grades. She had friends and loved to perform in local theater productions. It wasn’t until a psychiatrist said she wasn’t doing okay, that anyone believed her.

In But Everyone Feels This Way, Paige Layle shares her story as an autistic woman diagnosed late. Armed with the phrase “Autism Spectrum Disorder” (ASD), Paige challenges stigmas, taboos, and stereotypes while learning how to live her authentic, autistic life.

Paige Layle's profile page

Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of 15, Paige Layle is an advocate and influencer for a better understanding of autism on social media. Paige began making videos in response to a degrading post about autistic people, initially creating a four-part series to address common misconceptions about autism. Now in her twenties, Paige is an autism acceptance activist on YouTube and TikTok.

Paige also works part-time as a dance teacher and shares her home in Kawartha Lakes, Canada with her dogs, Macey and Medusa and cat, Mikado. She narrated the Audible Original American Girl by Wendy Walker, “an instant #1 Audible bestseller.”

"[Layle's] book is amazing."—"The OT Butterfly Sensory WISE Solutions" podcast

“We are in the middle of a moment of self-discovery and awakening for many Autistic adults, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds. Paige Layle's But Everyone Feels this Way is an important contribution to this movement, and in its pages, I am certain many Autistics in search of understanding and a place within our growing community will see themselves.”—Dr. Devon Price, author of Unmasking Autism and Unlearning Shame

“[A] fantastic memoir.”—Bookstr

"But Everyone Feels This Way is a poignant, brave, soul-baring triumph! Whether neurotypical or divergent, Paige Layle’s story will make you laugh, cry, and think - but most importantly, it will give you a new lens for seeing yourself and others."
—Wendy Walker, bestselling author of American Girl

“[An] illuminating debut….[Layle] provides detailed guidance for others on the spectrum….Empowering and educational, this should be required reading for anyone seeking to better understand themselves or a neurodivergent loved one.”—Publishers Weekly

“Paige’s heartfelt and honest account illustrates why first-hand storytelling is important for diving into the deep minds of autistic people.”—Jory Fleming, author of How to Be Human: An Autistic Man’s Guide to Life

"But Everyone Feels This Way is a heartfelt, vulnerable book about understanding and accepting autism in a world that constantly demands normalcy."—The New Yorker

“Frank and perceptive, But Everyone Feels This Way is a welcome addition to the growing autistic literary canon. I’ve long believed that autistic voices—not a single face or voice, but as many of us sharing our stories as possible—play a key role in the acceptance and celebration of autistic people. I’m very glad that Paige’s voice is among them.”—Sarah Kurchak, author of I Overcame My Autism and All I Got Was This Lousy Anxiety Disorder

“Paige writes with incredible insight, humor, and honesty about her autism and life. Her unique experience illustrates some universal truths and, as I read about her, I also learned about myself and my own autism. I am grateful for the gift of her voice."—Kim Rhodes

“Genuine and heartfelt, this book will appeal to Layle’s many followers on YouTube and TikTok as well as anyone seeking insight into what it means to live as a young woman navigating autism. A candid and instructive memoir about neurodivergence.”—Kirkus Reviews

"I read all of it, I loved it, I learned so much....The way [Paige] wrote about autism actually is writing about understanding human beings...it's applicable to so much....I thought it was a really great mix of information and story....The book was fabulous, it's really good on so many levels. I really enjoyed it and I'm going to be giving this to a lot of people and recommending it."—Zibby Owens, "Moms Don't Have Time to Read" podcast

“Paige Layle’s book will be especially helpful to provide insight for women diagnosed with autism later in life.”—Dr. Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures and Visual Thinking

"I had a hard time putting this book down and the few times I did were to nod in agreement. Paige Layle writes vividly about those parts of being autistic that aren't in any psychiatry text. The constant discomfort, the tidal wave emotions that overwhelm you at any moment. Paige's book offers a fuller picture of what autism looks like and furthermore, how to build a more accepting world for autistic people." —Eric Garcia, author of We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation