“It’s a form of survival”: Autistic transgender and nonbinary people’s experiences of disordered eating

Authors

Abstract

Autistic transgender and/or nonbinary (TNB) people are a multiply marginalised group systematically impacted by high rates of disordered eating. Feminist scholarship has examined the role of systems of oppression in creating environments where disordered eating can flourish, particularly sexism, racism and weight stigma. We expand this conversation by taking an intersectional, minority stress lens to examine the roles of cis-heteronormativity and neuronormativity in disordered eating in Autistic TNB people. Twenty-one Autistic TNB participants (aged 19-51) with disordered eating were asked to take part in narrative online interviews that were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants framed their disordered eating as a survival technique. In line with minority stress theory, disordered eating was articulated both as a direct response to systemic and interpersonal violence, and an indirect response to internalisation of queerphobic or anti-Autistic experiences. A struggle for belonging characterised participants’ intersectional experience. Queer communities provided a site of acceptance and improved disordered eating for some, yet were also places that could exacerbate unbelonging and disordered eating through intersecting ableism, racism and fatphobia and the communication of queer-specific appearance pressures. Findings demonstrate the utility of an intersectional minority stress lens to examine Autistic TNB health inequities. Beyond individualised neuro- and gender-affirming approaches for Autistic TNB people with disordered eating, researchers and clinicians must move towards an emancipatory approach which considers the systemic factors influencing the mental health of this multiple minoritised community.

No cited bibliography is currently integrated for this reference. This does not necessarily mean that no bibliography exists.