Neuroqueer(y)ing Vulnerability: An autoethnographic exploration of autistic trans narratives

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This project seeks to explore the intersection of autistic and trans identity through analysis of self-narratives and dominant narratives within academia, social work and social policy. While autism and transness are heavily medicalised, there are no biological markers for either identity (Pyne, 2021). As Botha, Hanlon and William highlight in the case of autism, they are both "real" and constructed through "social meaning, culture, language, and common understanding" (2021: 2). Through these constructions, stories are told about autistic trans people and different stories prompt different cultural and policy responses (Yergeau, 2018). Policy and practices reify the narratives upon which they are based and have a significant impact on how the constructed group views themselves and how others view them (Lister, 2010). As such, the narrative construction of autistic trans people has the potential to directly impact our lives and others' responses to them. However, dominant narratives of research, social work and social policy do not often reflect or consider the voices of autistic trans people. This research will therefore foreground autistic trans self-narratives to disrupt, challenge and neuroqueer dominant narratives with the aim of improving health and social care policy and practice. With this in mind, the following research questions were developed: RQ1: How is the intersection of autistic and trans identity and experience represented within self-narratives?RQ2: How is the intersection of autistic and trans identity and experience represented within dominant narratives?RQ3: How could health and social care policy be improved to better include and support autistic trans people?