Beyond the Normative Knot: Life and Praxis at the Gender-Sexuality-Autism Nexus Co-Researcher Opportunity
The “Beyond the Normative Knot: Life and Praxis at the Gender-Sexuality-Autism Nexus” team is recruiting two community co-researchers interested in being part of a project to help challenge stereotypes about gender, sexuality, and autism and make positive change in the community.
The project is an interview and multimedia digital storytelling project initiated by Elizabeth Straus, a queer-autistic-disabled researcher with Re•Vision: The Centre for Art and Social Justice at the University of Guelph. This is not a project initiated by professionals or neurotypical researchers about autistic people, but one that centers autistic experience and priorities within the research team. The goal is to challenge stereotypes about gender, sexuality, and autism in health care, mental health services, education, and in the community and expand possibilities for living and thriving across diverse embodiments of gender, sexualities, and autistic (or related) ways of being.
Our research team currently includes:
Elizabeth Straus (she/her or they/them), is a queer-autistic-disabled researcher with Re•Vision. Their research focuses on using storytelling and arts-based approaches to inform and transform narratives of disability and autism, and related structures and practices, in health care and education. They are the Principal Investigator of “Beyond the Normative Knot” and have also been involved with Re•Storying Autism in Education, a multimedia storymaking and interview project directed by Patty Douglas (https://www.restoryingautism.com/).
Carla Rice (she/her or they/them), is the Founder and Academic Director of Re•Vision and a Professor at the University of Guelph. Carla has extensive experience in community-engaged and arts-based projects that contribute to transforming views regarding those who embody difference, including those who identify as disabled and/or 2SLGBTQIA+, and advancing well-being, inclusion, equity, and justice. Carla is also a co-investigator on the Re•Storying Autism in Education project.
Patty Douglas (she/her), is Associate Professor and Chair, Student Success and Wellness at Queens University and the Director and Principal Investigator of Re•Storying Autism in Education. She has extensive experience in community-engaged research with autistic youth and adults to challenge and transform deficit-based pathologizing understandings of autism as a problem within education to be fixed or cured.
Kate Ellis (they/them), is a queer, trans, autistic PhD student in Communication at Carleton University and the Research Assistant for “Beyond the Normative Knot”. Their research interests are in social media use for autistic community-building, questioning gendered presentations or 'phenotypes' of autism, and the intersections between transphobia and anti-autistic ableism. They have a background in Critical Disability Studies and Gender & Sexuality Studies and are committed to doing research that centres community perspectives.
In addition to contributing to the overall direction of the study, co-researcher activities are negotiable and flexible, and may include contributions to:
aspects of study design related to interviews (e.g., interview questions) and the multimedia storytelling workshop
analysis of interview data; specifically, interpretations of autistic people’s stories, generating codes (labels used to denote similar content, categories, or themes), and coding the data (support and mentorship will be provided)
analyzing short films created in the workshops
shaping approaches to sharing stories, films, and findings with health care, education, and/or community groups
co-presenting with other team members in workshop or similar formats to share findings
We are looking for people who:
Identify as autistic, on the spectrum, neurodivergent or in some other way in relation to what is known as autism (We recognize that some may prefer different language than identity language or Western biomedical labels of autism or disability. We also recognize that some Indigenous people may prefer language that recognizes one’s unique gifts rather than Western biomedical language.)
Live in Ontario and have internet access for online meetings
Are interested in learning about and participating in research and advocacy to challenge stereotypes and center autistic stories of gender, sexuality, and autism. You do not need a university or college degree or any prior research experience in order to apply.
Are interested in working with a small research team of academics, students, and co-researchers who identify as autistic, neurodivergent, and/or 2SLGBTQIA+.
Are able to commit to an average of 8-10 hours of work per month (flexibility is possible as activities vary month-to-month)
Are able to contribute to discussions and decision-making in some way. We are open to a variety of formats for communication including through speaking (with or without technology or other forms of ‘verbal’ communication), text, or other combinations.
Are committed to principles of anti-oppression, social justice, and equity as it relates to disability, neurodivergence, race, gender, sexuality, class, etc.
Are committed to working toward access for all members of the research team, recognizing the diversity of our team.
Advocacy experience and knowledge of autistic and/or 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Ontario are considered assets.
Co-researchers will be paid $30-32 per hour for approximately 8-10 hours of work per month. Hours each month will vary. The work will be mostly or all online.
Folks of all genders, sexual orientations, and sexualities, and other diverse identities (such as Black, Indigenous, or other Persons of Colour (BIPOC), disabled- or mad-identified folks, or non-speaking folks or those who use AAC) are welcome to apply. Applications are encouraged from members of more marginalized autistic communities.
Access: Every effort will be made to make access possible. Meetings can be coordinated through Zoom, text, or other combination of modalities depending on preference. We also support flexibility in time and engagement in the research process, recognizing the sometimes unique ebbs and flows of autistic energies and lives.
Deadline to apply: October 29, 2023.
Application Instructions: Fill out the following form, including a paragraph telling us why you are interested in this project: https://forms.office.com/r/Xpfr9yQnGM