“My Autism Is My Own”: Autistic Identity and Intersectionality in the School Context

Background: School is an important context for identity development across childhood and adolescence. These formative experiences impact adulthood. Minimal research has examined first-person autistic perspectives of how school experiences shape autistic identity as well as other intersecting identities. In this study, we examined the school messages that autistic individuals received and how individuals engaged with these external messages to formulate their identities. Methods: Ten U.S.-based autistic adolescents and adults ages 15–35 participated in qualitative interviews about their elementary through secondary school experiences, interactions with teachers and peers, and how these shaped their identities. Two interviewees also engaged in three follow-up interviews each for member checking and further data gathering. Using a critical constructivist approach informed by grounded theory, we coded interviews inductively. We ensured the trustworthiness of data through peer debriefing, reflexive journaling, memoing, and member checking. Results: In the school context, autistic students received stigmatizing messages from teachers and peers regarding their autism. These messages varied in relation to students' other identities, including race and gender. Participants felt that, following autism disclosure, teachers viewed them narrowly through an autism lens. Participants actively resisted these negative messages from teachers and peers by reclaiming their autistic identity. They reframed and redefined their autistic identity, embraced their autism-related strengths, and actively made choices about how, when, and to whom to disclose their autism. Decisions around autism disclosure intersected with decisions to emphasize other identities such as race or mental health, especially when these identities were more visible or more acceptable to others. Conclusions: The school context conveyed powerful, stigmatizing messages around autism. In response, autistic students actively reclaimed and shaped their identities to prioritize a positive, empowered sense of self. Findings show a need for educators to model positive perceptions of autism, build an inclusive school community, and advocate for autistic representation in schools to facilitate autism-affirming messages. Community brief What was the purpose of this study? This study examined how autistic adolescents' and adults' school experiences affected their identities including autism, race, gender, and sexuality. We explored how teachers' and peers' messages impacted autistic students' views of themselves and how participants' experiences with autism differed by race, gender, mental health, and other identities. What did the researchers do? We interviewed 10 autistic adolescents and adults ages 15–35 in the United States and conducted 3 follow-up interviews with 2 participants. Participants had diverse identities across gender, race, and sexuality. Participants answered questions about their autistic identity, their school experiences, and interactions with teachers and peers. We read and analyzed interviews to look for common themes. What were the results of the study? Participants reported receiving negative messages about autism from teachers and peers in school. Participants felt that teachers often treated them differently than other students, seeing only their autism and not seeing other aspects of their identity. Autistic students' gender and race seemed to also affect how their teachers and peers treated them. For example, autistic women and people of color often described negative experiences related to their teachers' biases about gender or race. At the same time, autistic participants resisted these negative ideas. They held positive views and saw autism as bringing strengths, such as helping them learn. Participants believed that autistic identity looks different for each person and they were careful in deciding when to tell someone that they were autistic. They emphasized their autistic identity less than other identities that were more visible (e.g., race) or more acceptable to others (e.g., mental health problems). What do these findings add to what was already known? Participants were vocal in rejecting negative messages from teachers and peers. They formed their own positive opinions about autism. Most past research does not look at autistic people's other identities, such as race and gender, but we did: we found that autistic students with other stigmatized identities, such as girls and people of color, reported especially negative treatment in school. What are potential weaknesses in the study? With a small sample, we could not find patterns by gender or race. We did not always ask every participant about how their other identities, such as sexuality, race, or gender, were related to their autistic identity. If we had done so, we may have heard more details from some participants. We also did not have any participants with high communication support needs, and so, we could not include their experiences. As the researchers are all nonautistic, we may have interpreted people's responses differently from autistic people's experiences. How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future? Teacher and peer messages can negatively affect how autistic youth view themselves and their autistic identity. Teachers should be trained to affirm and support autistic students. Findings also showed that autistic students and their peers learn negative ideas about autism early. To address these biases, we need to educate all students about autism.