Autism Acceptance Month: Tackling the barriers faced by Autistic individuals with intersectional experiences. Pt 2.

We now know that marginalised Autistic people face compounding barriers. Autism doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Being Autistic and a person of colour, from the LGBTQ+ community, having a disability, being a Woman, etc the list goes on; all multiply the risks of being misdiagnosed, dismissed, or discriminated against. Celebrating Autism while ignoring racism, ableism, transphobia, and classism isn’t true acceptance. Real Autism acceptance means tackling the barriers that marginalised autistic people face, challenging the structures in place and going beyond celebration.

Here are 3 edits you can make in your workplace to do this:

1)    Ditch ‘culture fit’ & focus on ‘culture add’: place job adverts in a variety of diverse job pools and networks to attract neurodivergent candidates, Women and people of colour etc. Ensuring your company’s messaging is welcoming, diverse, and inclusive. Use interview formats that don’t rely on small talk and unwritten social rules as Autistic people may find that difficult, putting them at a disadvantage. Instead offer written assessments, structured interviews, or work trials to create a fairer process for those who are neurodivergent. Remember it's about removing the barriers in the areas we have control over.

2)    Review workplace policies for hidden barriers. Ensure policies take an intersectional approach and support the needs of Autistic LGBTQ+ employees, employees of colour, female employees and those from working-class backgrounds. Examine the overlaps between multiple protected characteristics. Many workplace policies are neurodivergent exclusionary by default. Conduct EDI audits to spot where neurodivergent employees face disproportionate challenges. Involve Autistic employees from a range of backgrounds in shaping realistic, flexible policies that work for different ways of thinking and working. Their voices must be heard if they wish to share their experiences. Go away and do your own research, too so that you have a good knowledge and understanding of the varied issues faced by those who are neurodivergent. 

3)    Recognise Autism as a spectrum and reject harmful stereotypes that assume all Autistic people present the same way. Actively work to break down racial and gender stereotypes and recognise that Autism presents differently in Women. Trans and non-binary autistic people are also often erased from both gender inclusion and neurodiversity conversations. Traditional Autism research and workplace accommodations are often based on male-centred stereotypes. Many Autistic Women and non-binary people mask their traits to fit in, leading to burnout, anxiety, and late diagnoses. Employers must educate themselves on gendered differences in Autism to avoid misinterpretation and bias and take an intersectional approach to supporting the needs of all Autistic individuals.

As we move forward, we must ensure that marginalised, intersectional Autistic voices aren’t just included, but centred. Autistic people of all genders, races and marginalised identities deserve workplaces that understand, respect, and accommodate their needs. Real inclusion means making space for the voices that have been left out for too long.

So how are you going to challenge and change a structure or barrier in your workplace?

Written by,

Rebekah Hayward

The Inclusion Editor