Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN)

AWN is committed to advocating for autistic women, nonbinary people, Two-Spirit people, and people of all marginalized genders. We believe LGBTQIAP+ autistic people are the experts on their own lives and identities. We work to end the discrimination, stigma, and barriers that autistic LGBTQIAP+ people face, including in reproductive health care. 

AWN operates under a disability justice, reproductive justice, transformative justice, and restorative justice framework that centers the most marginalized, including autistic BIPoC and autistic LGBTQIAP+ people.

An overview of AWN’s recent work:

Policy Advocacy: 

Ensuring the voices LGBTQIAP+ and BIPOC autistic people are heard in policy-making and legislation. Our 2025 policy work includes: 

• Released statements covering topics including upholding scientific integrity and supporting the autism community, the banning of federal recognition of trans identities, and the involuntary use of autistic people’s health records.
• Attending events that represent AWN such as an Autism Roundtable on May 12th that offered the opportunity for policymakers to hear from members in the autistic community. 
• Actively signing on to letters, comments, and amicus briefs on a range of subjects including healthcare, accessibility, gender inequality, education, and more. 

Fiscal Sponsorships:

Offering sponsorships to various multi-cultural grassroots projects and organizations seeking to build capacity. Our fiscal allied partners include: 

• Accessible Sports in Society (ASIS)
• Affect
• Autistic People of Color Fund (APOC)
• Call Bubbie
• Cleveland Pandemic Response (CPR)
• Disability Justice in the San Joaquin Valley: A Body Map Storytelling Project
• Living Altars
• Ramp Your Voice!
• We Were There Too: Blacks in the Disability Movement (WWTT)

Language Justice:

Committing to language justice through ASL and language justice training for our staff, releasing our resources in Plain Language and Spanish, and hosting events that include English and Spanish CART and ASL and Spanish interpretation.

Resources:

Creating and updating resources that both educate and provide assistance to our community. Some of our resources include: 

• A 2024 Voting Rights guide with specific resources for transgender, BIPoC, and disabled voters.
• A Welcome Packet with information and resources for newly diagnosed or recognized autistic women and nonbinary individuals.
• A Trans Autistic Healthcare Guide that helps trans autistic people understand their rights and what to expect at the doctor. 
• An eBook, A Neurodiversity and Gentle Parenting Journey…in Color. It advises BIPOC neurodivergent parents and parents of neurodivergent children on how to empower their children in their identities, including gender identity and sexual orientation, while preparing them for an often un-accepting world.
• Sincerely, Your Autistic Child. An eBook that details a diverse collection of autistic voices