Stepping into Who I Fully Am: A Creative Exploration of Autistic Menopause

Matthews, R., Jenkins, C. A., Rensburg, M. J. v., Brady, M. J., Moseley, R., & Gamble-Turner, J. (2025). Stepping into Who I Fully Am: A Creative Exploration of Autistic Menopause. International Journal of Disability and Social Justice, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.13169/intljofdissocjus.5.1.0004

Publication date: 1 Jan 2025 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
6
Publication authors identified as autistic
3 / 6 (50.0%)

Abstract

Research suggests that perimenopause can compound existing struggles for some Autistic people, with potentially catastrophic consequences. Barriers to self-expression due to communication differences are also well-documented. Acknowledging this, our neurodiverse research team invited creative submissions themed around Autistic experiences of menopause, receiving works from six Autistic participants including paintings, poetry, and graphic works. Engaging with the six creative submissions, Autistic Community Researchers on our team produced reflexive, polytextual response works. Creative exploration of Autistic menopause encouraged emotional catharsis, self-understanding, and activism/artivism. Autistic Community Researchers noted transcendent, almost “magical” dimensions of connecting with other Autistic people’s lived experiences. Our creative emancipatory approach enabled Autistic, multimedia responses which traditional research methods would not have elicited. To our knowledge, no other studies to date have used arts-based research to explore Autistic people’s experiences of menopause and inclusive research practices.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:31.

Cited references
77
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
17 / 77 (22.1%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
38 / 251 (15.1%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 38 / 140 (27.1%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 27 / 217 (12.4%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
140 / 251 (55.8%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 108 / 217 (49.8%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
102 / 140 (72.9%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 102 / 251 (40.6%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 81 / 108 (75.0%).
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