‘Living In A World That’s Not About Us’: The Impact of Everyday Life on the Health and Wellbeing of Autistic Women and Gender Diverse People
Grove, Clapham, Moodie, Gurrin and Hall (2023)
Autistic women and gender diverse people often experience barriers with accessing physical and mental health services. This issue can be compounded by the specific needs of these groups. This research addresses the everyday experiences of Autistic women and gender diverse people with regards to their health and wellbeing. The methodology for this research used qualitative semi-structured interviews with 31 Autistic adults. The data was then analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The finding identified three themes and 10 subthemes. The first theme details “all the stuff that you have to do to get through life” - such as managing domestic tasks or unique health needs and co-occurring physical conditions. The second theme relates to “living in a world that’s not about us” focusing on navigating gender roles and mental health within a neurotypical world. The third theme is the “shedding all the layers and being myself” - this is the positive impacts, such as the exploration of Autistic identity and community. The authors conclude with the importance of shifting responsibility from the individual were health and wellbeing are concerned. They also reflect on the importance of interpersonal, community, cultural, policy and society factors that interplay to ensure positive health outcomes for women and gender diverse people.
