Despite the growing awareness in the US, there are endless misconceptions that feed into the erasure and stigma of the neurodivergent and . With the lack of representation in media, dangerous policy-making with regard to , and practically taught in schools, it can be increasingly difficult to explore these coexisting identities. But on the intersection of autism, sexuality, and gender identity asserts that those with autism are more likely to identify as queer than the "neurotypical" population — and they're also more likely to face increased cultural stigma, discrimination, and erasure.
Jennifer Alumbaugh, 44, didn't come into her identities as autistic and queer until her late 30s. Like many who navigate both spectrums, Alumbaugh spent most of her life masking, or camouflaging the neurodivergent and non-heteronormative aspects of herself. It wasn't until she embraced her queerness that she found the courage to explore other elements of her that she hid for years.
"I finally had permission to explore what is possible about my identity and who I am if I don't place limits on myself," she tells POPSUGAR. Morganne Crouser, 38, shares a similar sentiment, telling PS that in discovering one identity, they learned to make room for the other. "Being autistic allowed me to think outside of the very rigid gender and sexuality boxes that most of us grew up with," Crouser says.
"But in the other direction, I think my queerness allowed me to take up space differently and start to noti.