“You Are the Expert of Your Own Experience”: A Thematic Analysis of Experiences of Autism and Gender Diversity in Adulthood

Glackin, A.; Pearson, A.; Davis, R.

Abstract

Background: Autistic people are more likely to report gender dysphoric traits, and transgender and gender-expansive individuals frequently report higher scores on self-report measures of autistic traits. Despite the clear association between autism and gender diversity, there is a dearth of qualitative research exploring the lived experiences of autistic adults.
Methods: This study contributes to the evidence base by exploring the strengths and challenges of the intersectional experiences of autism and gender diversity in adulthood. Twelve transgender/gender-expansive autistic people participated in an online semi-structured interview or an open-ended survey, and reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.
Results: Three main themes were identified: (1) Navigating a gender journey, (2) The impact of social context on self, and (3) Provision of health care.
Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of acknowledging the unique experiences of being both an autistic and transgender/gender-expansive person to further understand the intersection between autism and gender diversity.

Citation

Glackin, A., Pearson, A., & Davis, R. (2024). “You Are the Expert of Your Own Experience”: A Thematic Analysis of Experiences of Autism and Gender Diversity in Adulthood. Autism in Adulthood, 6(3), 300-311. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2022.0111

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 2, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Sep 16, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-09
• Deposit Date: May 10, 2024
• Journal: Autism in Adulthood
• Print ISSN: 2573-9581
• Electronic ISSN: 2573-959X
• Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 300-311
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2022.0111
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2436602