Building Autistic Trans Community: Recruitment for Co-Researchers
Do you identify as both autistic and trans/non-binary and live in Ontario? Are you interested in being part of a group project, together with other autistic and trans/non-binary people, to help make positive change for the community? If so, please consider applying for one of 6 part-time co-researcher positions to work on a project with other autistic trans individuals, together with a trans academic and allistic ally (non autistic).
About Us
This project is a community-building and activist project in which autistic trans people will be co-researchers and leaders. The goal is to support autistic trans community to gain more access to opportunities, resources and platforms to be heard. This is not a project in which autistic trans people will be studied, unless the team of autistic-trans co-researchers chooses to do so. Co-researchers will make final decisions regarding what is done with information gathered during the course of this project.
This project will take place between January 2021 and December 2021, and together co-researchers will help design and carry out a number of initiatives to amplify the perspectives of autistic and trans/non-binary community and improve their lives. Co-researchers will be paid a monthly honorarium of $250 for approximately 10 hours of work per month.
Applications are encouraged from members of more marginalized autistic trans communities and every step will be taken to make access possible, including for people using assistive technology to communicate. Meetings can be coordinated as a combination of text and zoom, depending on preference.
You do not need a university or college degree or any research experience in order to apply. You do not need a formal autism diagnosis and you do not need to be in any particular stage of gender transition.
So far our team includes:
Jake Pyne
Jake is a trans academic and allistic (non autistic) activist working towards allyship with autistic community. Currently an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at York University, he has worked on a range of research and advocacy projects in Toronto’s trans community over the past 20 years. Jake continues to learn from autistic community and aims to be a support to autistic-trans people as they name and pursue their political goals and priorities. He has recently been writing about the connection between ABA and conversion therapy.
Noah Adams
Noah is a transgender man on the autism spectrum. He is involved in a number of research projects on trans people with autism and has presented on this topic at academic and community conferences. Noah is currently completing his PhD at the University of Toronto and is the author (with Bridget Liang) of the recently published book Trans and Autistic: Stories from Life at the Intersection.
Bridget Liang
Bridget is a mixed race, queer, transfeminine, neurodiverse, disabled, fat fangirl. They’re a PhD student in the Gender, Feminist, and Women’s Studies Program at York University, a community researcher, workshop and group facilitator, performance artist, and fiction writer. They live in Toronto and are the author (with Noah Adams) of the recently published book Trans and Autistic: Stories from Life at the Intersection.
We are looking for people who:
Identify as transgender, trans*, non-binary, genderqueer or as a non-cisgender identity;
Identify as autistic or on the autism spectrum;
Live in Ontario and have internet access to join group meetings online;
Are interested in learning about and participating in research, advocacy, and social action to make change by and for autistic-trans / non-binary community;
Are interested in working with a small group of autistic and trans/non-binary co-researchers (and a neurotypical ally) on research and advocacy projects (work will happen remotely);
Are able to commit 10 hours per month to working on this project;
Are able to take part in group discussion and decision-making in some way – we are open to a variety of formats for online discussion including chat or text only;
Are able to accept and appreciate the diversity among autistic and trans/non-binary community, including but not limited to: race and ethnicity, Indigeneity, class, gender identity (binary, non-binary, transfeminine, transmasculine, and more), autistic identity (self or formally diagnosed), communication style (verbal and non-verbal), immigration status, sex work status, HIV status, and other differences;
Are committed to the principles of anti-oppression, justice and equity, including but not limited to: anti-racism, anti-ableism, decolonization, feminism, anti-transphobia and anti-homophobia;
Are committed to working toward access for other diverse members of the co-research team.
If interested, please fill out and submit this short application form:
Deadline: January 4th, 2021
Online interviews will take place in early January. Please contact Jake Pyne with any questions: jpyne@yorku.ca
This project is funded through a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Impact Award and is based at Re•Vision: The Centre for Art and Social Justice at the University of Guelph.