There has been relatively little research done on how non-binary and transgender autistic people experience gender. This is the first study that investigates how non-binary people experience gender. This study used a qualitative methodology, conducing interviews with 5 non-binary autistic adults in the UK.

The study found that gender was referred to as a multifaceted variable, being both an internal feeling and something that needs to be communicated to other people. Participants voiced that rejecting the gender binary made it difficult for them to feel a sense of belonging in their communities, and that they often felt misunderstood. They discussed having to mask both autistic traits and their gender identity from others, having to hide who they are because of stigma. Some participants voiced that being autistic led to a questioning of social norms, which led to non-binary identity.

An essential part of participants experiences was connecting with a community, and participants reflected that connecting with the neuroqueer (neurodivergent queer community) community was very helpful for them and was vital for validating their identities. Participants also voiced feeling safe in LGBTQ+ spaces.

This study provides a solid starting point for understanding gender in non-binary autistic people, but more research needs to be done to understand the nuances of gender identity and the variation of experiences of gender identity in this population. Some limitations of this study were that it included a small sample size of only 5 people and all of the participants were white.