Exploring autistic accounts of sexuality, intimacy, and authenticity

The cultural and scientific contexts in which autistic people and autism researchers are embedded tend to assume deficit, limitation or damage when considering social, sexual, or intimate autistic possibilities. These assumptions are omnipresent and stated as fact in much mainstream autism research, casting a pall over discussions of sexuality, intimacy, authenticity, and indeed any inter- or intra-personal endeavour undertaken by an autistic person.<br><br>Working within a framework of critical autism studies, and using a qualitative and participative methodology, the main thrust of this research involved a total of 24 in-depth interviews with 16 participants, leaning on Grounded Theory for data collection and analysis.

An online survey with 567 respondents was also carried out, and a research website set up. A Research Advisory Group of nine autistic people provided input regarding appropriate research methods and instruments and piloted interviews, many communicating with me and each other through the research website’s private forum.<br><br>Findings show that the challenges experienced by participants as they set out on their intimate journeys had less to do with intrinsic difficulties linked to ‘being autistic’ than with the point of encounter with a hostile and alienating environment.