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(For how i crafted these quotes, see What i changed in survey-takers' responses and What i didn't change.)
Connection
"I have been meeting in a monthly meeting with other autistic queer persons like me that have been helpful because I'm able to open up more."
"It's absolutely much easier to confide in people who share my identity as much as possible. As a neurodivergent, white, tall, trans lesbian I've found it very difficult to truly understand and confide in people who don't fit those identities, especially trans men, black trans people, queer cis people, short trans women, etc."
"I find it much easier to talk to queer and trans autistics because it usually means I don't need to educate the person on who I am. I also find it easier to understand and talk to other autistic people in general as the conversations tends to actually make sense and hold less of the weird subtext that a conversation with an allistic has."
"The online autism community is largely queer so I find a lot of acceptance there."
"I prefer to find other neurodivergent ppl because it's typically easier to communicate, especially with accomodations being taken seriously. I don't do much queer community oriented outside of the occasional group or protest because I just don't like to focus on it that much. I feel like as long as the identity has that much focus on it it'll never be treated equally to cis/hetero identities. sensationalizing things depersonalizes them and adds to the divide, putting extra focus makes it seem even less 'normal.' no shade to ppl who r more out or more active with the community, it's just not for me. I prefer to be stealth abt it."
Isolation
"i do feel a bit more of a connection with bisexual or neurodivergent people,
"but actually i feel disconnected from trans people for some reason (maybe because i don't focus on this aspect of myself and just blend in?)"
"I don't know if I would feel more comfortable talking to an autistic trans adult. I don't know any and I prefer to talk to people I already know."
"I have never met an autistic adult but I would love to. I follow several on social media and they are so wonderful."
"I prefer talking to trans adults any day, and autistic adults as well. Unfortunately, I do not know any trans autistic adults, but I have a few friends who are both trans and autistic like me, and I do prefer talking to them and am more likely to open up."
"It's harder talking to other neurodivergent queer people because our experiences can be identical or VASTLY different."
"I struggle equally with all adults, regardless of whether they are also gay and/or autistic."
"Autism makes it harder to correct people about pronouns and terminology because of the debilitating social anxiety and introversion I experience. This makes it more important to have advocates who can stand up for me."
