Feminist Therapy at The Intersection of Gender Diversity and Neurodiversity

Abstract

There has been growing awareness of the overlap between transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive (TNBGE) and neurodivergent identities in recent years. However, many clinicians do not receive adequate training around either gender diversity or neurodiversity, much less their intersection. Further, the ubiquity of the pathology paradigm contributes to practices that further marginalize TNBGE autistic clients. We illustrate how feminist therapy’s four realms of power provides a valuable framework for empowering clinical work with autistic TNBGE clients, with an aim toward centering the experiences of TNBGE autistic people. We also provide recommendations for clinical practice and systems-level change.