Document Type

Oral Presentation

Campus where you would like to present

Ellensburg

Event Website

http://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/

Start Date

15-5-2024

End Date

16-5-2024

Keywords

gender, autism, genderqueer, autistic traits

Abstract

While autism research has historically focused on males, increasing attention is being paid to the expression of autism spectrum disorder in cisgender girls and women. However, a significant percentage of the autistic population assigned female at birth experiences gender outside the male-female binary, and the expression of autistic traits in this population remains largely unexplored. Understanding the expression of autism in diverse populations is important for diagnostic access and support. The purpose of this study was to identify which behaviors and interests commonly ascribed to autistic individuals were demonstrated by autistic genderqueer individuals assigned female at birth. The study also asked participants about their experiences of gender. Following Human Subjects Review Council approval, I conducted semi-structured interviews with four genderqueer autistic individuals assigned female at birth. Interviews focused on the autistic experience of gender and included self-ratings of items included on the Adult Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire-2 (RBQ-2A), which measures repetitive behaviors and restricted interests in adults. Participants described their genders individually as agender, non-binary, gendervague and genderqueer, suggesting diversity in autistic gender experience outside the binary, but all reported that being autistic influences the way they experience gender. When reporting repetitive behaviors and special interests, all participants endorsed fidgeting with items, pacing, a preference for routine and limited preferred interests but diverged on topics like spinning, visual and olfactory stimulation, and creation of repetitive sounds. These common threads may help shape future diagnostic considerations for clinicians who provide autism assessments for genderqueer individuals assigned female at birth.

Faculty Mentor(s)

Dr. Pamela Nevar

Department/Program

McNair Scholars Program

Human subject research

1

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COinS
 
May 15th, 12:00 AM May 16th, 12:00 AM

404 Error – Gender Not Found: Lived Experiences of Genderqueer Autistics Assigned Female at Birth

Ellensburg

While autism research has historically focused on males, increasing attention is being paid to the expression of autism spectrum disorder in cisgender girls and women. However, a significant percentage of the autistic population assigned female at birth experiences gender outside the male-female binary, and the expression of autistic traits in this population remains largely unexplored. Understanding the expression of autism in diverse populations is important for diagnostic access and support. The purpose of this study was to identify which behaviors and interests commonly ascribed to autistic individuals were demonstrated by autistic genderqueer individuals assigned female at birth. The study also asked participants about their experiences of gender. Following Human Subjects Review Council approval, I conducted semi-structured interviews with four genderqueer autistic individuals assigned female at birth. Interviews focused on the autistic experience of gender and included self-ratings of items included on the Adult Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire-2 (RBQ-2A), which measures repetitive behaviors and restricted interests in adults. Participants described their genders individually as agender, non-binary, gendervague and genderqueer, suggesting diversity in autistic gender experience outside the binary, but all reported that being autistic influences the way they experience gender. When reporting repetitive behaviors and special interests, all participants endorsed fidgeting with items, pacing, a preference for routine and limited preferred interests but diverged on topics like spinning, visual and olfactory stimulation, and creation of repetitive sounds. These common threads may help shape future diagnostic considerations for clinicians who provide autism assessments for genderqueer individuals assigned female at birth.

https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2024/COTS/1