University of Illinois Chicago
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A Beautiful Work in Progress: Queer, Trans Autistic Storytelling about Identity Development

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posted on 2024-12-01, 00:00 authored by Em Tyner Peacock
This Master’s Thesis explores how queer, trans autistic folks create and understand their autistic, gender, and sexual identity. This research is important because it is conducted by a queer, trans autistic researcher and gives agency to autistic voices by centering the understanding of current autistic adults and their lived experiences by using qualitative methods. Most academic research is from medical perspectives that pathologizes autistic, queer, and trans traits and characteristics, and go so far as to imply that autism, “problematic” sexual behaviors, and gender dysphoria are “comorbidities” of each other. Instead of focusing on the pathologizing of autistic, queer, and trans characteristics we need the lived experience of queer, trans autistic people to be reflected in research and approach their autistic, gender, and sexuality as identities and crucial parts of who they are. The main theme that emerged from the thirteen participants' stories shows that queer, trans autistic folks are constantly exploring, creating and negotiating their relationship and understanding of their autistic, gender and sexual identity. These participants' stories challenge common medical narratives. Medical narratives put an emphasis on fixing a problem, creating a clear “end point” to where an autistic person might not have any more “noticeable autistic traits” and a trans or queer person “lives the rest of their lives as a straight cisgender person.” Instead, participants view their identities as a “beautiful work in progress” that they will be exploring throughout their lives. Despite this, many participants are navigating masking and unmasking, specifically when it comes to masking their autism and gender. This is negated by being part of a community of friends and partners who share their identities. This allows for participants to have their identities affirmed and validated and gives them the space to unmask and explore their identities.

History

Advisor

Akemi Nishida

Department

Disability and Human Development

Degree Grantor

University of Illinois Chicago

Degree Level

  • Masters

Degree name

MS, Master of Science

Committee Member

Carrie Sandahl Lieke van Heumen

Thesis type

application/pdf

Language

  • en

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