Analysis: The diverse and complex needs of autistic trans and non-binary students are often overlooked and misunderstood in our education system
By Maggie Green, ATU Donegal, Neil Kenny and Anne Marie Kavanagh, DCU
Autistic people are six times more likely to identify as gender-diverse than the general population. While the reasons for this relationship are not fully known or understood, what is known is that people with autistic, trans or other gender-diverse identities are more likely to experience stigma, prejudice, bullying and discrimination. When both autistic and trans or non-binary identities exist together and intersect, experiences of victimisation and marginalisation increase exponentially and have serious negative consequences for people. These include poor mental health outcomes, high levels of anxiety, and suicidality.
Things are improving in some areas. For example, the language used to describe autistic trans and non-binary people has become less stigmatising and more inclusive over time. This is largely due to the advocacy and activism of individuals and organisations such as TENI, Belong To and AsIAm. However, significant further work is needed so that autistic trans and non-binary people can live in safety and in dignity and can experience equity and meaningful inclusion in society.
These necessary changes have important implications for the education system. The number of autistic students accessing education in mainstream schools has increased significantly in recent decades. For example, the number of autistic students being allocated SNA support increased by 83% in five years between 2011 and 2016 and the number of specialist autism classes increased by 400% in the ten years between 2011 and 2021.
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Most teachers in Ireland are likely to work with autistic students across their careers. While there is a growing recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusion in education, the diverse and complex needs of autistic trans and non-binary students are often overlooked and misunderstood. Concerningly, there is currently no data regarding the experiences of autistic gender-divergent young people in Irish schools.
A new study by a neurodivergent researcher on the lived experiences of autistic trans and nonbinary students in Ireland aims to address this gap in understanding. The DCU study amplifies the voices of autistic trans and non-binary students who have attended primary, post-primary and for some, tertiary education in Ireland. The participatory approach taken sought to present the real, lived experiences of this marginalised group and to identify barriers to inclusion and feelings of belonging within the education system.
The data gathered was rich and nuanced, reflecting the reality of this highly diverse cohort. In describing her intersecting identities, one participant stated, "one of them is the way I think, the other is the way I am." For this participant, her gender identity is how she presents herself to the world and her autistic identity shapes how she thinks about and interacts with the world.
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The experiences of participants varied. Some were positive. Others were harrowing, and indicate viscerally just how difficult it can be to exist as a marginalised and divergent person within Irish schools. The challenges participants recounted were sometimes very concrete and targeted. One participant in the study spoke of how he was asked to identify the supports that he needed and when he did he was told that what he needed would not be possible and to identify other supports. Other participants reported less direct challenges, such as one participant, who told how he experienced microaggressions, brief and commonplace daily indignities, slights and insults, including being deadnamed and a refusal to use the correct pronouns, from both staff and students.
There were however positive findings too. Some participants stayed in their schools, others found true belonging in Youthreach and through supports from Foróige. One participant stated that in being excluded he found inclusion within a group of students who had also been excluded for not fitting into what was considered the norm. Another spoke about approaching a teacher to ask to have his name put on the end of year hoodies and that the teacher agreed to this without question. Another participant spoke of a teacher putting supports in place for his sensory differences. Another spoke of the 'gender euphoria' she felt when she stepped into her true identity, as a powerful feeling of joy in who she is. The metaphor of a bird breaking free from a cage was shared by another participant as he recalled how it felt to just be who he was: "I always felt like I was in a cage before and I was forced to act a certain way and forced to look a certain way and then when I finally opened that cage, I just wanted to get really far from it, so I did."
This study highlights the need for training for management, teachers and peers focused on intersecting autistic trans and non-binary identities. This training should address biases and stereotypes and educate staff on counteracting ableism (discrimination against people with a disability) and transphobia (discrimination against trans people), equipping them with the necessary knowledge and resources to promote inclusive, supportive environments.
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The development of anti-bullying policies that specifically address transphobic and ableist bullying is recommended. Such policies need to be detailed, recognising that bullying can be subtle. While comprehensive anti-bullying measures should contribute to the safety and well-being of these students, consistent and well-maintained support systems are also necessary. Systemic changes that challenge deeply rooted cisnormative (the belief that people whose gender matches the body they were born with are 'normal' and all other people are not) and ableist (the belief that non-disabled people are ‘normal’ and all other people are not) beliefs are essential for making meaningful progress.
The participants' recommendations to support flourishing were strikingly straightforward. The call for flexibility is particularly noteworthy, countering the common assumption that autistic people are rigid and instead highlighting the rigidity of systemic norms. Providing flexibility and listening to student voices are easy supports to put in place. Participants also called for significant change to the education system. This is perhaps blue sky thinking, but every transformation begins with a single step. By taking these initial steps, a ripple effect that leads to transformative change could be created, supporting autistic trans and non-binary students to thrive in the education system, because after all 'inclusion is a feeling, not a place'
Dr Maggie Green is a lecturer in the Department of Early Education & Social Studies at ATU Donegal. Dr Neil Kenny is an Associate Professor and researcher in the School of Inclusive and Special Education at DCU, where he is programme chair of the Master of Education in Autism (MEdA). He is a former Irish Research Council awardee. Dr Anne Marie Kavanagh is Assistant Professor in Ethical and Intercultural Education in the School of Human Development at the DCU Institute of Education.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
