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‘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
Rachel Grove1, Hayley Clapham2, Tess Moodie2,
Sarah Gurrin2 and Gabrielle Hall1,2
Abstract
Background: Autistic women and gender diverse people have specific needs related to their physical and mental health.
They also experience more barriers to accessing services. While there are autobiographical accounts of the ‘invisible’
challenges that autistic women and gender diverse people face day-to-day, there has been limited research that explores
how these experiences impact health and wellbeing.
Objectives: This study aimed to understand the everyday experiences of autistic women and gender diverse people,
and their impact on health and wellbeing.
Design: Qualitative methods were used to elicit rich information about the unique experiences of autistic women and
gender diverse people.
Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 31 autistic adults. The data were analysed using reflexive
thematic analysis.
Results: We identified 3 themes and 10 subthemes. Our first theme described ‘all the stuff that you have to do to get
through life’, including managing domestic tasks, parenting, unique health needs and co-occurring physical conditions. The
second theme outlined the impact of ‘living in a world that’s not about us’, describing how navigating the neurotypical
world, managing gender role expectations and trying to fit impacts on mental health. Our third theme outlined the
positive impacts of ‘shedding all the layers and being myself’, including the importance of formal identification, exploring
autistic identity and community, and including autistic people in research to support them to ‘have a good life on their
own terms’.
Conclusion: This study emphasized the importance of shifting the responsibility of health and wellbeing from the
individual, and the importance of interpersonal, community, cultural, policy and societal factors in ensuring positive
health outcomes for autistic women and gender diverse people. It also highlighted areas that enable autistic women
and gender diverse people to flourish, including autistic community connectedness, positive relationships and autistic-
affirming support from health professionals.
Plain Language Summary
In this study, we wanted to understand the unique experiences of autistic women and gender diverse people. We also
wanted to understand how these experiences impacted on their health and sense of wellbeing. We interviewed 31
autistic women and gender diverse people, and asked them about their experiences. We identified three main ideas
or themes. The first theme is about ‘all the stuff that you have to do to get through life’ such as cleaning, shopping,
managing finances, parenting, managing periods, menopause, pregnancy, childbirth and physical health. Our second theme
1 School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology
Sydney, NSW, Australia
2 Autistic Advisory Group, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health,
University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
1189542WHE0010.1177/17455057231189542Women’s HealthGrove et al.
research-article2023
The Health of Autistic Women: State of the Field and Future Directions –
Original Research Article
Corresponding author:
Rachel Grove, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of
Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Email: rachel.grove@uts.edu.au
2 Women’s Health
showed the effect that everyday life has on autistic women and gender diverse people. This included being overwhelmed
by navigating public spaces, fitting with expected gender roles and the impact of ‘living in a world that’s not about us’
on mental health. The final theme highlighted the positive impacts of being autistic and connecting with other autistic
people, and the importance of including autistic people in research. We discuss how our findings show the need for
better interactions with healthcare professionals, access to the right services, and changing attitudes in the community
and society. These changes are critical to support the positive health and wellbeing of autistic women and gender diverse
people.
Keywords
adults, autism, daily living, gender diversity, health, mental health, participatory research, wellbeing, women
Date received: 30 September 2022; revised: 26 May 2023; accepted: 4 July 2023
Introduction
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as
‘a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’.1 This
definition states that health cannot be considered without
including wellbeing. Wellbeing has been defined as ‘feel-
ing good and functioning well’2 and includes more than
just happiness and life functioning, but also a sense of con-
trol over one’s life, positive relationships, having a sense
of purpose and being able to develop your potential.3
Health and wellbeing are ‘fundamental rights of every
human being without distinction of race, religion, political
belief, economic or social condition’.1 This affirms the
right to health and wellbeing, but does not consider that
some opportunities, systems and supports, will not be
appropriate for all people. This is often the case for many
autistic people. Autistic people experience health inequi-
ties and are at increased risk for physical and mental health
conditions,4–7 shorter life expectancy,8 experiencing violence9
and suicide.8,10 In addition, autistic women report experi-
ence more physical11,12 and mental health conditions13,14
and use healthcare more frequently12 than autistic men. It
is also important to consider the additional health inequities
experienced by trans and gender diverse autistic people,
given the high proportion of autistic people who report
a gender identity different from their sex assigned at
birth.15,16 Gender diverse autistic people experience higher
levels of mental health difficulties compared to both cis-
gender autistic people17 and non-autistic gender diverse
people,18 outlining the impacts of being part of multiple
marginalized groups on mental health. Autistic women and
gender diverse people are also at increased risk of sexual
violence19 and have additional needs related to their health
and wellbeing, including sexual and reproductive health,20
experiences of pregnancy and childbirth,21 and managing
periods and menopause.22 Despite these additional needs,
autistic women and gender diverse people report signifi-
cantly more barriers to accessing services,23 including
stigma and a lack of knowledge from healthcare providers24
and are underrepresented in research.25,26
Much of the research on the health and wellbeing of
autistic people has been framed within the medical
model,27 which uses terms such as ‘deficit’ or ‘disorder’,
and sees autism as a series of impairments within an indi-
vidual that require remediation. However, there are many
objections to the use of this medical model,28,29 and it is
important to move away from conceptualizing autism as
something that differs from the ‘norm’ expected within
society.30 The medical model ignores the contribution of
social and cultural factors in the construction of disability.31
In addition, research framed within the medical model has
often focused on understanding causation, which results in
a lack of understanding of autistic people’s life experi-
ences.30 In contrast, social ecological models32–35 provide a
framework for understanding the interrelated influences of
individual, interpersonal, community, policy and societal
factors on a person’s health and wellbeing. This then ena-
bles a shift from the individual to being solely responsible
for their health outcomes or disability, to include the
responsibility of others on interpersonal, social, cultural,
economic, policy and societal levels.36 The health and
wellbeing of autistic women and gender diverse people
needs to be considered within the context of this social
ecological framework, as it can provide potential explana-
tions and solutions for the health inequities experienced by
this population. This also fits with the neurodiversity para-
digm, which emphasizes the need to adjust both the physi-
cal and social environment to meet the needs of autistic
people.30
We know that health outcomes are influenced by social
and cultural norms, and everyday experiences.37 Despite
this, there has been little research that explores how daily
life impacts the health and wellbeing of autistic women
and gender diverse people. Autobiographical accounts
highlight day-to-day challenges, including sensory over-
load and physical exhaustion.38 Others have also noted
‘the invisible struggle’ for autistic women and gender
diverse people and the impact of managing daily tasks.39
There has been some research related to activities of
daily living (ADLs) such as caring for oneself, personal
hygiene, eating and dressing,40 and more complex tasks or
Grove et al. 3
instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), such as
grocery shopping, meal preparation, home maintenance,
managing finances, health and taking care of others.40,41
This research has shown that autistic girls experience
more challenges with daily living skills compared to autis-
tic boys.42 However, this research has mostly been based
on parent reports, or focused on providing training for
ADL skills development, with minimal research asking
autistic people themselves about their needs or experi-
ences.43 A recent study asked older autistic adults about
their IADLs, highlighting that these were impacted not
only by individual factors, such as sensory sensitivity and
executive function, but also influenced by environmental
and cultural factors.44 There is no research to date that
seeks to understand the impact of managing these daily
living skills on health and wellbeing. This is particularly
important for autistic women and gender diverse people,
as gender roles and expectations result in additional pres-
sure to take responsibility for, and engage in these tasks.
Social and cultural factors have also been shown to be
embedded in everyday experiences and play a role in the
development of a sense of self for autistic women.45 It is
important to understand the everyday experiences of autis-
tic women and gender diverse people in the context of
these social and cultural factors. It is also critical to co-
produce research with the autistic community to ensure
that research addresses their needs. In this autistic-led
study, we asked autistic women and gender diverse people
for their unique perspectives and insights about their eve-
ryday experiences. We also aimed to understand how these
impact on their health and wellbeing.
Methods
Participants
We interviewed 31 autistic women and gender diverse
people aged 18 years and above. Full demographic and
background data are available for 30 of these interviews.
Our sample ranged from 21 to 63 years of age, with a mean
age of 39 years (SD = 12) . Most (83%) of our sample had
been diagnosed as autistic by a health professional between
3 and 55 years of age (M = 33, SD = 13; 88% were diag-
nosed in adulthood). For those who self-identified as
autistic (i.e. did not have a formal diagnosis of autism),
age of self-identification ranged from 21 to 49 years, with
a mean of 34 years (SD = 11). The majority (77%) were
from a White European background, and all participants
used spoken communication. 63% of the sample had com-
pleted a university degree and 70% were currently in paid
employment. 40% of the sample were parents and 50% of
parents also had autistic children. Additional demographic
details are provided in Table 1. Co-occurring mental health
conditions were reported by 83% of participants (M = 2,
SD = 1.8). Co-occurring physical health conditions were
also reported by 63% of the sample (M = 1.7, SD = 1.7)
(see Figure 1). However, only 27% of participants were
receiving support under the National Disability Insurance
Scheme (NDIS), which provides funding directly to indi-
viduals for supports and services.46 Additional details on
co-occurring conditions are provided in Table 2.
Procedure
These data form part of a larger study that asked autistic
girls, women and gender diverse people about their expe-
riences and challenges, and their priorities for research.47
The results presented in this article are from the adult
sample only. The study was advertised on social media,
and through peak autism and disability organizations in
Australia. Autistic people with either a formal diagnosis
or who self-identified as autistic were included in the
study. We included autistic people who identified as cis
gender women, transgender, non-binary, gender diverse
people and anyone who was socialised as, or identified as
a woman. We used the term gender diverse within this
project to fit with the recommendations outlined by the
United Nations48 and the Victorian Government in
Australia.49 We acknowledge that language in this space is
dynamic and are always open to feedback from the com-
munity on what language is appropriate and inclusive.
The sample was restricted to autistic people above the age
Table 1. Demographic information (n = 31).
Frequency %
Gender identity
Female 26 83.9
Non-binary 2 6.5
Transgender 1 3.2
Autistic gender 1 3.2
Gender fluid 1 3.2
Education
Completed high school 21 70.0
Trade/technical certificate 3 10.0
TAFE certificate or diploma 13 43.3
University degree 19 63.3
Employment
Employed 14 46.7
Self-employed 8 26.7
Volunteer 5 16.7
Not currently working 11 36.7
Ethnicity
Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Islander
1 3.3
White European 23 76.7
White Other 3 10.0
South East Asian 1 3.3
Other 2 6.7
‘Other’ ethnicity includes South East Asian and Hispanic and mixed
Mediterranean ancestry.
TAFE = Technical and Further Education.
4 Women’s Health
of 18 years currently living in Australia. Eligible partici-
pants were asked to complete a short background ques-
tionnaire that asked for demographic information, and
about co-occurring conditions, employment and educa-
tion. Participants were then asked to take part in a semi-
structured interview over zoom, phone, email or text,
depending on their preference. We asked a series of open-
ended questions related to diagnosis, day-to-day experi-
ences, support and research topics. These open-ended
questions were provided to participants prior to their
interview so that they could have time to reflect or prepare
answers if needed. Two pilot interviews were completed
with autistic advisory board members (H.C. and T.M.)
prior to the initial interviews being conducted to deter-
mine suitability, structure and format of the interview
questions. Interviews were conducted by an autistic
woman (G.H.) and ranged from 43 to 126 min, with a
mean time of 81 min (SD = 24). Interviews were video and
audio recorded, and then transcribed verbatim. Transcribed
interviews were sent to all participants, who were able to
amend or add additional information. Regular discussion
with G.H. and R.G. occurred to begin to discuss general
themes and patterns across the data.
Community involvement
This project was led by an advisory board of autistic
women and non-binary people (H.C., T.M. and S.G.). They
were engaged in the development of the research questions
and methodology, data collection, analysis, interpretation
of the data and dissemination of results. This involvement
included regular meetings from the outset and across the
project. This was to ensure that the research was conducted
in a way that was informed by lived experience, beneficial
and not harmful to the autistic community, trauma-
informed, person-centred and to ensure that the results are
interpreted from an autistic perspective.
Data analysis
Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s50,51 method
for reflexive thematic analysis within an essentialist
Figure 1. Co-occurring mental and physical health conditions.
Table 2. Co-occurring mental health and physical health
conditions (n = 30).
Frequency %
Neurodivergence
Attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD)
8 26.7
Dyslexia 3 10.0
Dyspraxia or developmental
coordination disorder
1 3.3
Othera5 16.7
Mental health
Anxiety disorder 16 53.3
Bipolar disorderb3 10.0
Obsessive compulsive disorder 3 10.0
Post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD)
9 30.0
Complex PTSDc7 23.3
Depression 12 40.0
Drug or alcohol misuse 1 3.3
Dissociative identity disorder 1 3.3
Eating disorder 5 16.7
Borderline personality disorder 1 3.3
Personality disorder (not specified) 3 10.0
Physical health
Chronic fatigue syndrome 2 6.7
Chronic paind8 26.7
Epilepsy 1 3.3
Ehlers Danlos syndrome 1 3.3
Fibromyalgia 2 6.7
Gastrointestinal issues 15 50.0
Immune conditions 3 10.0
Pernicious anaemia 1 3.3
Polycystic ovarian syndrome 4 13.3
Sleep issues 8 26.7
Thyroid problems 3 10.0
Othere2 6.7
a‘Other’ neurodivergence responses include Dandy–Walker syndrome,
self-identified ADHD and dyspraxia, sensory processing disorder and
synaesthesia.
bN = 2 participants reported both bipolar disorder and depression.
cN = 4 participants indicated complex PTSD (cPTSD) in conjunction with
PTSD.
dN = 2 participants reported fibromyalgia and chronic pain.
e‘Other’ physical health conditions include self-identified Ehlers Danlos
syndrome and acromegaly. The frequencies for each category are
exactly as designated by the participants.
Grove et al. 5
framework, focusing on the semantic features of the data
(i.e. staying close to participants’ language). The data were
analysed using a social ecological lens, which conceptual-
izes health as impacted by individual, interpersonal,
community, policy and societal factors.32–35 This research
was also conceptualized within the broader social model of
disability.52 We identified themes using an inductive, or
bottom up, approach through identifying shared patterns
of meaning within the interview transcripts. Prolonged
engagement with the data was undertaken by R.G., who
listened to the interviews, read each transcript twice and
applied initial codes to the data. Member checking with
the autistic research team (H.C., T.M., S.G. and G.H.)
occurred multiple times throughout the data analysis pro-
cess, following which codes were further developed.
Following these discussions, R.G. developed a draft the-
matic map, which was finalized following multiple itera-
tions with H.C. and T.M. These processes were completed
multiple times throughout the analysis and write up phase,
resulting in an iterative and reflexive process to the data
analysis, and ensuring the credibility and trustworthiness
of the process. All authors were responsible for identifying
the final themes and subthemes. Data analysis was man-
aged with NVivo version 12.53
Results
Participants described their everyday experiences and how
these impacted on their health and wellbeing. We identified
three themes through the reflexive process described above.
These themes and subthemes are outlined in Figure 2.
Theme 1: ‘All the stuff that you have to do to
get through life’
Subtheme 1.1. Day-to-day domestic tasks are challenging.
Autistic women and gender diverse people frequently
spoke about the challenges of managing ‘all the stuff that
you have to do to get through life’ (AD1). This included
day-to-day domestic tasks, such as housework, cooking
and mealtimes, and managing finances. Our participants
highlighted challenges related to managing ‘all the little
things that fall into being your responsibility when you
become an adult’ (AD2) and ‘trying to manage more than
one thing at a time’ (AD17). One participant described
their experience of managing multiple domestic tasks:
‘sometimes I’ll go days without brushing my teeth because
I haven’t been able to slot that in with all the other
stuff I need to do’ (AD2). Additional day-to-day domestic
Figure 2. Thematic map.
6 Women’s Health
challenges included remembering to eat, including losing
‘track of time, or I can’t tell when I’m hungry enough’
(AD21). Others reported that they could ‘sit for eight hours
and not eat anything, because I don’t realise that I need to’
(AD20). Challenges related to cooking and meal prepara-
tion were also reported:
so many nights over the years I’ve just stood in front of the
fridge at five o’clock crying because I can’t . . . I can’t for the
life of me pull together a meal . . . there’s too many tasks
involved. It just doesn’t come naturally to me. And I’ve
always been very ashamed of it. (AD13; 42-year-old autistic
woman)
Autistic women and gender diverse people also identified
challenges managing finances and ‘all the day-to-day stuff.
Paying bills. Paying car rego. Doing banking. Organising
my life [so] that it has any sort of schedule’ (AD10). Others
spoke about difficulties with making phone calls due to a
sense of feeling ‘trapped because there’s the expectation
that when they talk, you will talk straight back’ (AD13) or
to ‘accidentally speak at the wrong time’ (AD31). This
highlighted the lack of understanding of communication
differences from others and had an impact on autonomy.
These daily domestic tasks created anxiety and a tendency
to ‘put it off and, and then it sits there and sits there and it
builds up and becomes more of a thing’ (AD23).
Participants described feeling that ‘it’s so overwhelming
sometimes’ and that ‘someone to come and help me with
the practical stuff every now and then . . . would be really
beneficial’ (AD20). As one autistic woman stated:
I definitely get overwhelmed quite easily and I struggle to
manage the different parts of my life . . . I get quite focused
on certain things, such as my work, and then don’t know
where to fit in things like going grocery shopping and cleaning
my house. (AD20; 28-year-old autistic woman)
Executive function and sensory differences also had an
impact on these domestic tasks, and although the autistic
women and gender diverse people we spoke to were able
to complete the day-to-day domestic tasks required, this
was overwhelming and created a sense of burnout:
I theoretically know all the stuff I need to help organize and
plan myself. But you can be so dysregulated that you can’t do
any of it. So even somebody saying, just make a list, I’m
going well, I’m actually too exhausted to make the list . . . all
that executive function just goes really offline when your
sensory system’s out. (AD14; 42-year-old autistic woman)
There were a number of strategies that the autistic women and
gender diverse people we spoke to had for managing these
stressors, including cooking bulk meals and having a cleaner:
I actually decided, I just wasn’t coping, I didn’t have enough
time to do this stuff. And so I had a cleaner . . . And there
have been times where I haven’t had a cleaner. Have been
really, really challenging. (AD1; 50-year-old autistic woman)
Subtheme 1.2. ‘Parenting is really hard’. Parenting was
reported as an additional daily challenge, particularly to
‘manage all of that, with the other demands that I have’
(AD23) as ‘things became so busy having a child’ (AD1).
Parenting was also related to gender roles and expectations
that ‘as a parent, it’s my role really to put him and his
needs first. And then my needs come after that’ (AD23).
However, autistic parents also spoke about the positive
impact that their children had on their lives. For example,
one parent described how being able to focus on their child
made things easier:
I can’t even explain it, it really helped me . . . It just simplified
everything because there were no longer all these different
priorities there was just the one thing that I had to do right.
(AD26; 38-year-old autistic woman)
Another autistic parent described their parenting as a
strength and the motivation to support their children in the
way that they need:
Anything to do with my kids I’m much better at . . . I’m very
highly motivated to be the best mother that I can be, and
support them the best way. (AD7; 51-year-old autistic woman).
Subtheme 1.3. ‘[Our] needs are different, we have periods,
menopause’. Sexual and reproductive health was a key
area that was identified as a daily challenge by autistic
women and gender diverse people. This was related to
experiences of pregnancy and childbirth, puberty, periods
and menopause. Childbirth was identified as having an
impact on sensory processing:
Like having childbirth as an autistic person, that stuff where
you want to be in a good frame of mind, and sensory, it could
be an absolute trauma. (AD16; 30-year-old autistic woman)
Others also spoke about their experiences of pregnancy
and how this impacted on their energy levels and ability to
work. This was also associated with not being listened to
or supported by health professionals during pregnancy:
Because when I was saying that I was tired, and I was sick,
and I really didn’t feel like I could work, I wasn’t being
believed. If I had known that I was on the spectrum, I could
have said, well look, you know, I do my best to last the full
day as it is. With this extra thing I can’t . . . I could have been
more realistic on myself. (AD28; 47-year-old autistic woman)
Puberty was associated with exacerbating ‘mental health
issues if you’re susceptible to it, but more so for autistic
women’ (AD13) and that ‘puberty and autism, well undi-
agnosed autism, doesn’t really mix very well’ (AD19).
Grove et al. 7
One participant noted the significant impact that managing
puberty had on their life:
Puberty was horrible. From that point on, up to my early 20s,
was hell, absolute hell . . . It was pretty awful, and I remember
it being a really emotional time . . . with the huge emotions.
I blocked it out. (AD9; 49-year-old autistic woman).
Difficulties with the physical changes that occurred during
puberty, including the ongoing challenges associated with
managing periods were also reported. Period pain was
described as ‘just horrific’ (AD23) and ‘so uncomfortable
and it was so hard to focus on anything’ (AD2). The ‘sen-
sory aspect of having my period each month’ (AD13),
including using tampons and pads were also highlighted as
part of the everyday challenges experienced by autistic
women and gender diverse people. Others spoke about the
empowerment they felt when they learnt ‘how things
change with your cycle. And I found how that also impacts
with different parts with my autism at different parts in the
cycle’ (AD29). Menopause was also noted to be associated
with ‘sensory processing’ challenges and ‘like going
through puberty again’ (AD14). This was described as
being ‘confusing for women. Because their whole body is
changing. Their whole life is changing’ (AD14).
Subtheme 1.4. ‘I’ve got so many things wrong with my body. I
just do my best to keep functioning’. The everyday experi-
ences of autistic women and gender diverse people were
impacted by co-occurring physical health conditions that
were often described as highly debilitating. Our partici-
pants reported a long history in dealing with the healthcare
system and ‘seeing specialists all of my life’ (AD1). Navi-
gating the health system was also associated with addi-
tional challenges including managing sensory aspects,
such as ‘bright lights, people running in and out’ (AD16).
The autistic women and gender diverse people we inter-
viewed also spoke about not being heard by health profes-
sionals, including having ‘presentations in my diseases
that are different to typical . . . and it’s hard to get the doc-
tors to believe that’ (AD15). This was also related to dis-
closing ‘to my GP . . . that I’m autistic. She’s a bit flippant
. . . So she’s not someone that I would probably feel like
I’d needed to tell’ (AD1). Others reported that ‘trying to
get what I need out of my medical team is really hard
because I can’t explain how I feel about things. And
because I don’t overdramatise’ (AD15) and highlighted the
impacts of a male-biased healthcare system on managing
their health: ‘the medical system is patriarchal’ (AD11).
This often resulted in autistic women and gender diverse
people not attempting to seek care and therefore not
knowing ‘exactly what conditions I have because basically
I don’t go to the doctor’s ever. I just don’t go’ (AD12).
There was also a sense of feeling unsupported by health
professionals:
Until last year, a lot of my chronic health issues were not
being treated. And I had really severe issues. I was going in
and out of hospital . . . and nobody was doing any aftercare
. . . I was on medication that did nothing. Nobody ever took
me aside and said, this is not good enough. We need to up the
ante. (AD16; 30-year-old autistic woman)
Theme 2: ‘Living in a world that’s not about us’
Subtheme 2.1. Navigating the neurotypical world is ‘just over-
whelming’. Autistic women and gender diverse people spoke
about challenges related to navigating the neurotypical-
favoured built environment, including ‘getting to and from
work’ (AD16) and catching ‘public transport or anything
like that . . . I have to make sure I have an exit wherever I
am . . . a bus is not [an exit] because I have to wait’ (AD19).
However, others also noted challenges with driving, due to
‘over-stimulus’ (AD28) and ‘sensory overload’ (AD2). One
participant described their experience of driving:
I compare it to like ice skating. Because, I can ice skate . . .
But in the long run, I’m sometimes more mentally exhausted
because I have to focus on balancing. People left and right.
What is everyone else doing? Where am I going? And I feel
like driving sounds the exact same. (AD21; 23-year-old non-
binary autistic person)
Our participants also described being ‘uncomfortable to go
to places I hadn’t been’ or ‘going shopping, or going to the
movies or anything on my own’ (AD21). This was associ-
ated with significant sensory impacts, due to ‘taking all
senses in’ (AD11) and ‘the bright lights. If there’s lots of
people, the increased noise. It’s just the people. The people
that you have to navigate around’ (AD1). This was related
to the feelings of overwhelm and being unsafe:
I get disorientated due to sensory overload and then I’ll be
like what am I doing out here? Why did I come out again? It
can be just overwhelming. Probably the best thing I can think
of is I just don’t feel safe. (AD30; 52-year-old autistic woman)
Another participant described their experiences of navigat-
ing the neurotypical built environment:
I think it’s the public spaces are uncomfortable . . . Not
knowing what to do. What to say. Where to look. So many
people. So many eyes. Accidentally making eye contact.
(AD21; 23-year-old non-binary autistic person)
Subtheme 2.2. ‘There’s a lot more pressure placed on [us] to
meet so-called expectations’. The autistic women and gen-
der diverse people we interviewed highlighted the signifi-
cant impact of gender roles and expectations on their
lives. This included the cultural and societal message that
‘boys can be boys, but girls have to be girls. And that I
think is damaging. The message that we get is damaging’
8 Women’s Health
(AD22). Autistic women and gender diverse people also
outlined the exhaustion associated with ‘spending all of
our time adapting to meet other people’s needs’ (AD14),
including having ‘to meet all these expectations of soci-
ety’ (AD26). This included being taken advantage of in
the workplace:
I’ve been taken advantage of a lot . . . in a lot of situations, if
somebody asks you for help your first instinct as a female is
to say, sure yes, what do you need? And a lot of times . . .
saying yes to some things is not the right thing to do. (AD25;
26-year-old autistic woman)
The impacts of conforming to these gender stereotypes
were significant, with participants reporting the ability to
‘change or adapt myself to the situation, but it’s absolutely
exhausting. By the end of it, I’m just finished’ (AD9) and
‘coming home train wrecked every night’ (AD15). Fitting
into these societal gender roles was also associated with
having ‘no clue who I was. I just knew who I was trying to
be at that time, or who I should be to fit in with whatever
group or whatever thing I was doing. And that’s all I knew’
(AD7). One participant also outlined the impact of manag-
ing the ‘mental load’:
There’s a lot of mental and emotional lifting. You’re constantly
aware of other people’s needs . . . It needs a lot of organisation,
mental and emotional . . . what I call the ‘mental load’ . . . it
is very great, and you can’t put it down. Because other
people’s health and wellbeing and survival is involved . . .
The mental weight of that by the end of the day, I’ve done a
lot of lifting . . . if you couple that with pain, by the time I’ve
cooked a meal, fed everybody and sat down, I’m done . . . I
can barely move, I can barely sit, I’m struggling and in pain.
It just becomes very difficult to be me. (AD22; 54-year-old
autistic woman)
This highlights the significant impacts of managing these
societal expectations and gender roles for autistic women
and gender diverse people.
Subtheme 2.3. Trying to fit in comes ‘at tremendous personal
cost’. The autistic women and gender diverse people we
interviewed spoke about the ‘struggle with the fact that the
way that I am and who I want to be doesn’t fit in the world’
(AD4). The impacts of this were significant, with one par-
ticipant describing that ‘growing up autistic in a world
that’s not meant for you’ means that ‘every autistic person
has a trauma history’ (AD1). The costs of ‘trying to fit in
when we actually can’t . . . because our brains are differ-
ent. We’re wired completely differently’ (AD30) had a
profound impact on the health and wellbeing of our par-
ticipants, coming ‘at tremendous personal cost’ (AD9).
There were a number of coping mechanisms described by
our participants, which had a great significant impact on
their lives:
And I know how I coped. I coped because I was smoking 40
cigarettes a day and drinking ten cups of coffee, just so that
my executive function was functioning at all. But I broke
myself down by the age of 39 completely. (AD10; 51-year-old
gender fluid autistic person)
Another participant described their experience of masking
in the workplace:
Usually it’s just trying to hold it all together until I can get
home, and feel like I can relax, to be myself without fear of
retribution or offending someone . . . Each day is different,
and some days it’s just surviving the day so I can get home in
one piece from work. (AD27; 30-year-old autistic woman)
This was related to autistic burnout and having a ‘lot of
public meltdown burnout moments where I hadn’t really
known what was going on, and other people haven’t really
understood what was going on’ (AD26). Others also noted
that ‘doing many things at the same time . . . for a long
period of time, I start getting burnout’ (AD24).
The everyday challenges experienced by autistic
women and gender diverse people also had an impact on
their mental health. These experiences were related to a
sense of ‘shame of who I was’ through being told ‘that
I’m wrong. I’ve got to do this’ (AD7). Others spoke about
being ‘ashamed my whole life of having Asperger’s
instead of going hey man that’s why I’m deadly . . .
because I’ve always felt different, I always felt like freak,
I always felt that I was naughty, or a bully or that I was
just considered a very bad person for a lot of things’
(AD28). Trying to fit in also resulted in suicidality and
self-harm due to feeling that ‘existence was just too pain-
ful . . . I’d try and fit in, and then I wouldn’t try and fit in,
and then I’d try it and be something else. I did a lot of
self-harm and a few suicide attempts in there. But it was
just painful’ (AD26).
Mental health was also further impacted by a lack of
understanding, being dismissed or experiencing gas-
lighting from health professionals, resulting in a ‘severe
mistrust of anyone’ (AD10). This often included
extended periods of feeling unsupported by the mental
health system:
I have had very intensive mental health support. Ongoing for
majority of the past 20 years. And not once was autism ever
even considered . . . Was not even suggested at all. And even
after my diagnosis, my last admission to the psychiatric unit
last year, when I mentioned my diagnosis, the psychiatrists in
there dismissed it . . . it was written on my discharge
summary, there are no outward signs of autism. (AD13;
42-year-old autistic woman)
Others also described a sense of internalized ableism and
the shame that was associated with describing their chal-
lenges to health professionals:
Grove et al. 9
There was the shame of who I was . . . and how. It was buried
so deep . . . that it doesn’t, you know, you don’t just wander
in and say, Look, I don’t understand people, and I don’t get
what’s going on. And I try so hard. And I can’t figure out you
know, you don’t walk in and say that, and they’re just like, no,
you’re fine. (AD7; 51-year-old autistic woman)
These everyday experiences also resulted in autistic
women and gender diverse people needing ‘to work really
hard in this world to get where we are. Much harder than
anyone else’ (AD1). There was a sense of grief around not
being ‘given that chance to live life and actually succeed’
(AD19) or being told you had ‘huge potential, and I’ve
never ever reached it. I’ve never done anything with my
life . . . That hurts a lot’ (AD13). This loss of potential was
noted by a number of the autistic women and gender
diverse people we spoke to:
I do think we’re losing a lot of potential. We’re losing it to
mental illness, we’re losing it to apathy, we’re losing it to
self-defensive behaviours . . . I think there is a very subtle
epidemic of loss in our society of girls, who cannot reach their
potential. (AD22; 54-year-old autistic woman)
Theme 3: ‘Shedding all the layers and being
myself’
Subtheme 3.1. Autism gives me ‘a framework to understand
myself better’. Autistic women and gender diverse people
identified a number of things that had a positive impact on
their lives. This included being formally identified or diag-
nosed as autistic, which was described as providing an
opportunity to go ‘back through your whole life through
this lens of autism’ (AD14) and having a ‘framework to
understand myself a little bit better, instead of continually
falling apart and wondering, why on earth am I like this?’
(AD13). Formal identification provided an opportunity for
autistic women and gender diverse people to be ‘released
from a dialogue of moral failing. You can’t do this because
you’re bad and lazy. You can’t do that because you don’t
try hard enough’ (AD6). It was also associated with being
able to ‘accept my life and myself as I am’ (AD14) through
being able to ‘go back and reinterpret experiences . . . and
then kind of put the past in the past’ (AD8). The positive
impact of ‘being diagnosed as autistic, was then just get-
ting to this level of understanding and shedding all the lay-
ers and being myself and being able to be happy’ (AD7)
was a common experience. This was also associated with
being able to make positive lifestyle changes:
And I think that learning about autism at the age 41, 42 was
possibly the biggest gift I could give to myself. Because I
completely changed my lifestyle. The more information I
received about what being autistic was for me, the more
accommodations I could offer myself. (AD10; 51-year-old
autistic gender fluid person)
Subtheme 3.2. ‘Somehow you just find your people and they
all turn out to be autistic’. Developing autistic identity and
connecting with the autistic community was also reported
to have a positive impact on the lives of autistic women
and gender diverse people, through understanding ‘that I
wasn’t weird. I was just autistic’ (AD1). Autism was con-
ceptualized ‘as an intrinsic part of who I am’ (AD23) and
that ‘disability is an identity, not something to be ashamed
of’ (AD25). Autistic women and gender diverse people
also spoke about the importance of being accepted for
who they are and being able to express their gender iden-
tity. There were reported experiences of gender dyspho-
ria and how this ‘feels like being burned up and hollowed
out’ and that embracing their gender identity alleviated
this due to being ‘able to fully make that switch in my
mind’ (AD5). One participant described their experience
of gender:
Gender, I think, is a very strange thing for autistic people
. . . I’ve gone through phases in my life where I’ve been
really, really overtly masculine. And then I’ve gone through
other stages in my life where I’ve been really overtly not
masculine or really, really neutral . . . Everything is like a
costume that comes with an implied gender, but actually
underneath that there is no gender. It’s completely irrelevant.
It does not mean anything. (AD12; 49-year-old autistic
gender person)
Participants who self-identified as autistic spoke about the
importance of ‘being able to identify with certainty, some-
thing that is very intrinsically you’ and that ‘we should be
able to say, with some self-defining confidence, that I am
autistic. This is me’ (AD22). Others also indicated that for-
mal identification would enable them to ‘feel a part of a
tribe’ (AD23). This connection with autistic community
was highlighted by the autistic women and gender diverse
people that we interviewed, and that ‘somehow you just
find your people and then they all turn out to be autistic
because they’re the people that you can relate to and you
get along with’ (AD12). This was reported to be ‘quite
empowering in some ways, because it’s given me opportu-
nities to connect in with other people with autism and learn
quite a lot about the autistic community, as well as myself’
(AD20). The positive impact of connecting to ‘my tribe’
made it clear ‘why I’ve clustered with certain people and
not others’ (AD26), and the benefits of this were clearly
described:
I love working with and hanging out with other autistic or
neurodiverse individuals. The connection and communication
feels much more effortless and more natural than it does with
non-autistic or non neurodiverse individuals. (AD23; 51-year-
old autistic woman)
Subtheme 3.3. Fostering ‘autistic people to have a good life on
their own terms’. The final subtheme related to how to
10 Women’s Health
foster ‘autistic people to have a good life on their own
terms’ (AD10). This included
‘having a network of caring relationships, as well as having
time, each day, in small and big ways, to do my autistic
passions, and having safe people around me in general, people
I don’t have to wear the mask as much with’ (AD25).
Support for autistic people to live life as their true selves
was also noted as being important for autistic women and
gender diverse people:
We could be supported and still have a much greater
contribution to business, to society, to economy, to
knowledge . . . It just seems to be a huge loss. Not just
personally, but on so many levels. That we’re not supporting
women and girls more. Not just so that they can procreate,
but just so that they can be themselves. (AD22; 54-year-old
autistic woman)
This can be achieved through ‘making sure that autistic
people are part of the team and are doing the research’
(AD1) and for ‘research on understanding it from the autis-
tic perspective rather than layering that non-autistic per-
spective over the top’ (AD14). The importance of autistic
clinicians ‘coming from an autistic perspective with lived
experience’ (AD23) was also identified as being paramount
to supporting the health and wellbeing of autistic women
and gender diverse people. Harnessing autistic strengths
was also highlighted as an important aspect of this: ‘they’re
all things that people would either try to extinguish or
diminish or not have. But when you see them from a posi-
tive aspect, you can do so much with them’ (AD14).
Autistic women and gender diverse people spoke about
their positive experiences with health professionals,
including ‘someone else to come in and say, you don’t
need to be doing that, that’s quite helpful’ (AD20). Others
also indicated the impact that receiving this support had on
their lives, such as having a ‘psychotherapist, a psychia-
trist, an ADHD coach who talk to each other in an arrange-
ment that they proposed, and so I don’t have to co-ordinate
that which is fantastic’ (AD6). This was noted as a rare, but
positive experience for some of our participants:
Well, I have been really lucky, because I stumbled across a
brilliant doctor. A wonderful, wonderful man who listens.
He’s so present and listens and believes everything you say.
He’s like some kind of unicorn doctor. (AD7; 51-year-old
autistic woman)
Discussion
This autistic-led study asked autistic women and gender
diverse people about their everyday experiences and how
these impacted on their health and wellbeing. We identi-
fied three themes, which included ‘all the stuff that you
have to do to get through life’, the costs of ‘living in a
world that’s not about us’ and the positive impacts of
‘shedding all the layers and being myself’.
Our first theme highlighted some of the daily chal-
lenges that autistic women and gender diverse people
experience, including with ADLs or self-care tasks, such
as remembering to eat. In addition, IADLs such as meal
preparation, shopping, home maintenance, managing
finances, health, communication and parenting were iden-
tified. This is consistent with previous research outlining
that autistic girls may experience more challenges with
ADLs.42 The previous literature on ADLs and IADLs
has focused on teaching skills to young autistic people, or
the experiences of older autistic adults.44 However, our
research highlighted that these challenges are important to
consider for autistic women and gender diverse people
across the lifespan. Interestingly, the difficulties reported
by our sample were not necessarily related to the capa-
bility of completing these tasks, but instead to the over-
whelming nature of all the competing tasks that needed to
be completed, and the associated stress and anxiety related
to this. This has clinical implications, highlighting that
health professionals need to be aware of the potential
additional impacts of these daily domestic tasks on anxi-
ety and stress for this population. There needs to be less
emphasis on teaching social skills, as has often been the
focus of support programmes, with more support pro-
vided for these everyday experiences. This includes par-
enting, where much of the previous research has focused
on neurotypical parents of autistic children rather than
autistic parents themselves. However, our findings are
consistent with a recent study in which autistic parents
described the challenges of being a parent, alongside
those of joy in connecting with their children.54 Our find-
ings indicate a need for additional research that focuses on
providing an in-depth understanding of autistic women
and gender diverse people’s experiences of parenthood
and parental support, and how to best support their health
and wellbeing as parents. In addition, clinical practice
needs to recognize the importance of supporting autistic
parents and developing parenting support programmes
that meet their needs.
Autistic women and gender diverse people identified
the need for research and practice to recognize that ‘[our]
needs are different, we have periods, menopause’. The
experiences of our participants were similar to those
identified by previous research, including painful periods55
and the sensory challenges related to menstruation,56
menopause,57 and pregnancy and childbirth.58,59 There is a
need for health professionals to be aware of how to support
the sexual and reproductive health of autistic women. This
is especially important for trans and gender diverse people,
with evidence showing that non-autistic trans and gender
diverse people experience barriers to accessing contra-
ception, abortion, and pre-conception and perinatal care.60
Providing gender-affirming sexual and reproductive
healthcare for autistic gender diverse people is essential
Grove et al. 11
for future research and clinical practice, and is an area
where there is limited knowledge and support available.20
These challenges also need to be considered alongside
the additional physical health needs of autistic women and
gender diverse people. Our findings were consistent with
previous research showing that autistic girls and women
experience more physical health challenges than non-
autistic women and autistic males.11 The most commonly
reported physical health challenges in this study included
gastrointestinal issues, chronic pain and sleep difficulties.
It is not surprising given the experiences reported by our
participants, that they experience these health challenges,
given their relationship to stress.61 While not within the
scope of this study, it would be interesting to determine
whether there is a direct relationship between these physi-
cal health conditions and the daily challenges experienced
by autistic women and gender diverse people. This is also
important for clinical practice, as health professionals need
to be aware that these conditions may be more common in
this population.
The second theme provided new insights into how the
daily experiences of autistic women and gender diverse
people impact on their health and wellbeing. Our partici-
pants outlined the costs that were associated with trying to
fit into a society that does not support them. This came at
‘tremendous personal cost’ to the health and wellbeing of
autistic women and gender diverse people, resulting in
shame, self-harm, suicidality and mental health condi-
tions. 83% of our participants reported one or more diag-
nosed mental health condition, most commonly anxiety,
depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
This is consistent with previous research outlining the
increased incidence of mental health difficulties in autistic
women and gender diverse people.13 Our participants also
outlined their experiences of autistic burnout as a result of
coping with the cumulative impacts of managing a lot of
tasks and navigating the neurotypical built environment.
This adds to the emerging literature identifying the experi-
ences of burnout in autistic adults.62
Recent research has shown that experiences of trauma
and abuse are high in this population.63,64 This was also
evident in our study, with 40% of our sample having
received a diagnosis of PTSD or complex PTSD. In addi-
tion, autistic women and gender diverse people identified
the impacts of ‘living in a world that’s not about us’, which
were in some cases described as trauma. This fits with
recent research outlining that autistic people may experi-
ence a broader range of life events as traumatic.65 Our
research highlights that the narrow diagnostic definitions
of what constitute a traumatic event66 may not always be
appropriate for this population. Research and clinical prac-
tice would benefit from expanding their understanding of
trauma to consider the impacts of everyday stressors
related to navigating the neurotypical built environment
and trying to fit with societal expectations on the health
and wellbeing of autistic women and gender diverse
people. These findings also highlight the importance of
providing trauma-informed care within health services.
The impact of normative cultural standards including
neurotypical norms for behaviour, ableism and gender role
expectations were also outlined by this research. Our find-
ings, which indicated the additional pressures on autistic
women and gender diverse people to ‘meet so-called expec-
tations’, are consistent with the notion that society responds
to, and has different expectations for autistic women com-
pared to autistic men.67–70 This also has additional impacts
on autistic women and gender diverse people who may not
identify with typical gender roles.68 Our research highlights
how the intersection of ableism and gender inequality
creates compounding challenges for autistic women and
gender diverse people. This needs to be recognized and sup-
ported by clinical practice. The impact of these societal fac-
tors may provide some insight into potential reasons why
autistic women and gender diverse people experience higher
levels of mental health conditions, burnout and health ineq-
uities. It is helpful to frame our understanding of the health
and wellbeing of autistic women and gender diverse people
within the social ecological model of health (see Figure 3).
Within this framework, there are opportunities to make
changes on interpersonal, community, policy and societal
levels to benefit autistic women and gender diverse people,
and the health professionals that support them.
Previous research has identified barriers to support,
including a lack of knowledge about autism in women and
gender diverse people from healthcare providers,71 and a
misunderstanding or disregard for their healthcare needs.72
We also identified additional barriers related to challeng-
ing communication and interpersonal relationships with
healthcare professionals. The autistic women and gender
diverse people we spoke to outlined common experiences
of medical gaslighting, and not feeling comfortable enough
to disclose their autism. This meant that they were not
receiving the right support or had disengaged completely.
This is consistent with the experiences outlined by other
autistic adults73,74 and highlights the need to further under-
stand why these experiences are so common. This may be
due to a lack of knowledge and training,75–77 and reduced
confidence of general practitioners (GPs) in supporting
autistic people.78 It is critical to upskill GPs and other
health professionals to be able to support autistic women
and gender diverse people’s healthcare needs. There is also
a need to support autistic clinicians79 and provide gender-
affirming care that is appropriate for the LGBTQIA+ and
gender diverse autistic community.
There are also important policy changes that need to be
considered, with only 27% of our sample having an NDIS
plan. While healthcare is free under Medicare in Australia,
access to additional supports is not always funded under
this scheme. The NDIS provides individual funding for
support and services but is subject to an application pro-
cess in which individuals have to prove their level of dis-
ability, resulting in ‘constantly being denied supports
12 Women’s Health
because it appears I don’t really need them’ (AD27). Our
findings reveal a mismatch between the level of ‘function-
ing’ identified by diagnostic criteria and the level of daily
support required. This has significant clinical implications,
as it highlights the ‘invisible’ challenges that autistic
women and gender diverse people experience, that are not
being accounted for as part of the diagnostic process. This
indicates a need for a more wholistic approach to provid-
ing assessment, diagnosis and support for autistic women
and gender diverse people.
Part of providing this wholistic approach includes
understanding the strengths of autistic women and gender
diverse people, and the things that can have a positive
impact and support ‘autistic people to have a good life on
their own terms’ (AD10). Autistic women and gender
diverse people outlined the importance of autistic identity,
community and self-acceptance for their health and
wellbeing. Our findings also highlighted that autism pro-
vided ‘a framework to understand myself better’ and pro-
vided a lens through which to review past experiences and
come to a level of self-acceptance. This fits with previous
research showing a relationship between autistic identity
and mental health,4,81–83 and the importance of diagnosis.84
Our research also outlined the impact of positive interper-
sonal relationships with other autistic people and access to
autistic community. This is consistent with previous
research that shows that autistic community connectedness
is related to a sense of belonging85 and enhanced wellbe-
ing.86 The benefits of ‘shedding all the layers and being
myself’ on the health and wellbeing of autistic women and
Figure 3. Social ecological model.
Source: Adapted from McLeroy et al.35 by Tasha Golden.80
This model only includes factors that were identified in our study. We acknowledge that there are other interpersonal, community, policy and
societal factors that contribute to the health and wellbeing of autistic women and gender diverse people.
Grove et al. 13
gender diverse people outlines the need for strategies within
clinical practice to support the development of a positive
autistic identity and access to autistic community.
One of the ways to ensure that we are supporting the
needs of autistic women and gender diverse people is to
include autistic people in research related to their health
and wellbeing.87 Research has traditionally ignored the
voices of autistic people, but there is an increasing focus
on community-driven research, and research conducted by
autistic academics.88 It is also important for future research
to look at autistic identity through an intersectional lens,89
to ensure that the needs of all autistic people are supported.
Future research should also focus on developing autistic-
led models of wellbeing, as traditional models have
focused on areas that are valued by society, such as
employment or participation in society. This is consistent
with understanding autism from the neurodiversity para-
digm, which outlines that an autistic person’s life should
be fulfilling despite not fitting with conventional norms or
societal expectations.30,90
Limitations
Our sample included autistic people who use spoken com-
munication, were well educated, employed, diagnosed
later in life and predominantly from a White European
background. Future research needs to include people from
diverse backgrounds, including people with intellectual
disability, non-speaking autistic people, and autistic
women and gender diverse people from different cultural
backgrounds, particularly those in non-Western countries.
It is also important to interrogate the culture of research to
understand why these populations are still underrepre-
sented in research. In addition, research focusing on a
larger sample of gender diverse autistic people would
potentially highlight further areas of need related to their
health and wellbeing.
Conclusion
This study explored the unique daily experiences of autistic
women and gender diverse people and how they impact on
health and wellbeing. It provides new insights into poten-
tial factors that may contribute to the higher incidence of
mental health conditions and burnout experienced by this
population. It emphasizes the need to understand these
experiences from a social ecological framework and the
interpersonal, community, policy and societal factors that
contribute to the health inequities experienced by autistic
women and gender diverse people in Australia. It is impor-
tant to address health inequities across all levels of this
framework rather than focusing on individual factors and
expecting autistic people to meet neurotypical norms. We
need to start by understanding the daily needs of autistic
women and gender diverse people, and how we can support
and fund them appropriately, including their needs related
to ADL and IADLs. Fostering positive interpersonal rela-
tionships with health professionals, and upskilling the pro-
fession to recognize and support the physical, mental,
sexual and reproductive health needs of autistic women and
gender diverse people is critical. It is also crucial to address
stigma, ableism, built environments and gender role expec-
tations within society and in policy development. We also
need to approach mental and physical health in a more
wholistic way to consider everyday experiences and their
impact on the health and wellbeing of autistic women and
gender diverse people. This includes a paradigm shift to
move beyond expecting an autistic person to try to fit an
ableist normative mould, to thinking about how to support
autistic people to live a good life on their own terms.
Declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Ethical approval was received from the Human Research Ethics
Committees of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) on
10 March 2020: UTS HREC REF NO–ETH19-4538. Written
informed consent was obtained from all participants after they
had received a complete description of the study.
Consent for publication
Informed consent for publication was provided by all participants.
Author contribution(s)
Rachel Grove: Conceptualization; Data curation; Formal analy-
sis; Funding acquisition; Investigation; Methodology; Project
administration; Resources; Software; Writing – original draft;
Writing – review & editing.
Hayley Clapham: Conceptualization; Data curation; Formal
analysis; Investigation; Methodology; Writing – original draft;
Writing – review & editing.
Tess Moodie: Conceptualization; Data curation; Formal analysis;
Investigation; Methodology; Writing – original draft; Writing –
review & editing.
Sarah Gurrin: Conceptualization; Data curation; Formal analy-
sis; Investigation; Methodology; Writing – review & editing.
Gabrielle Hall: Conceptualization; Data curation; Formal analy-
sis; Investigation; Methodology; Project administration; Writing
– original draft; Writing – review & editing.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all the people who provided their stories as
part of this research. We also acknowledge the members of the
autistic advisory group who provided initial input into the develop-
ment of this project. Finally, we would like to thank Liz Pellicano
for providing feedback on the thematic analysis and final article.
Funding
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support
for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article:
This project was funded by a UTS Chancellor’s Research
Fellowship.
14 Women’s Health
Competing interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect
to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Availability of data and materials
Due to the sensitive nature of the data, it is not able to be made
available.
ORCID iD
Rachel Grove https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6669-9385
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