"An Important Part of Who I Am": How Autistic College Students Demonstrate Advocacy

Authors

Abstract

Abstract: In a time when autistic people are increasingly making their needs known through dialogues around neurodiversity, what autism advocacy represents in a college setting remains largely unexplored. Our study of autism advocacy elicited perspectives from 43 autistic college students across the United States. These participants represent marginalized perspectives, including women, People of Color, and LGBTQ+ folx. Our interpretive description and reflexive thematic analysis, in processing semi-structured interviews with students, explored their sources of support, stories about feeling successful and unsuccessful in college, resources that foster their success, and future goals. Our main conclusion is that autism advocacy in college comprises three themes: enacting agency through unmasking and disclosing autism, demonstrating self-initiative in attaining resources, and standing up for oneself and others through autism activism. Autism activism in this study included participation in student organizations, careers in advocacy, and everyday instances of communicating one's needs. Recommendations include hiring autistic staff, creating professional development for faculty and staff, developing curriculum and programming for autistic students, and offering assistance for autistic student organizations.

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