Find Yourself in These 6 Books About Trans Autistic People

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More than 1% of the human population is autistic, and autistic people are more likely to identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community.

In 2020, the largest study about autism and gender identity drew information from five unrelated databases. It showed that “people who do not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth are three to six times as likely to be autistic.” 

As an openly trans autistic person with ten years of LGBTQ+ and autistic activism experience, I believe that the lack of representation is one of the biggest problems of autistic trans people. In my teenage years I thought that I was the only one in the world, and books about autistic trans people—both fiction and non-fiction—changed my life.

Here are 6 books written by and about autistic transgender people you can read this month to better understand our experience, or, if you are like me, to feel less alone.

Fiction

1. The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
   The Veil between living and dead has thickened, and Victorian autistic boy Silas Bell is one of the few who can communicate with ghosts—only the Speaker society has a different plan for him. He is considered female by birth, so he is seen only as a potential wife who can give birth to a child with his rare medium ability.This is a story of a transgender, bisexual, autistic boy who was diagnosed with a non-existent disorder and locked away in an asylum. It is about a society that is trying to break transgender and autistic people, and takes on non-supportive family, anxiety, trauma, and the bravery to be yourself.Despite this being a fantasy novel for young adults, for me it’s one of the most reliable accounts of autistic trans life.

2. Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White
   Miles Abernathy—an autistic trans boy, sixteen-year-old socialist, and proud West Virginian—has to participate in a hundred-year class feud and meet the ghost of his grandpa to better understand himself.This novel features a lot of disabled and queer people on the pages, commentary on modern-day American problems, and a bunch of class solidarity. Honestly, I’m not a socialist, but this is one of the best political thrillers I’ve ever read, and will be interesting for people of all generations.

Anthologies

3. Spectrums: Autistic Transgender People in Their Own Words Edited by Maxfield Sparrow
   A compelling anthology of personal essays, revealing struggles and joy of what it means to be autistic and trans at the same time. These are trans autistic stories written by amazingly brave authors from all around the globe.One story in particular, “The Rightness of Being Wrong” by Baden Gaeke Franz,  resonates with me as  it is a story of someone who (like me) knew that they were trans in a kindergarten but didn’t have words to describe it at the time, and finally accepted themselves only at 24.I believe that every trans autistic person can find someone like them in this anthology, and that allies reading this will see the diversity of our experience.
4. Changelings: An Autistic Trans Anthology Edited by A. R. Vale & Ocean Riley
   A young adult anthology featuring transgender autistic characters written by trans autistic people. This anthology features fictional stories written by 13 authors in different genres. I recommend it to folks of all ages who like good stories and good representation, and value the “nothing about us without us” principle.

Autobiographies

5. Uncomfortable Labels: My Life as a Gay Autistic Trans Woman by Laura Kate Dale
   This was the first book about autistic trans experiences that I ever read. It was also my first British book about autism. Laura’s story will resonate with people who came from a conservative background, didn’t know much about transness and autism but are desperately seeking their own way. From depression and addiction problems to her relationship with sports, Laura Kate shares everything about herself. Her story is compelling and engaging—even if some language seemed not very autistic friendly in 2025.
6. How To Be Autistic by Charlotte Amelia Poe
   Poe shares a sincere story of a non-binary autistic person from early childhood to adulthood, written in an accessible way. The book is dedicated to autism more than to queer issues, but in their “gender and sexuality” chapter, Poe takes a deep dive into their struggles with the gender binary and what it means to be a non-binary person when a society sees you as a straight woman. Even from an early age, you knew that you were not a girl—but also, not a boy.Despite the title, it seemed to me that the book is written first and foremost for non-autistic folks who want to understand our experience, but it can be an interesting read for autistic people as well.

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All of the books in this list are easy to read, non-academic, and are interesting both for autistic trans people and our allies. They are more than just stories about autism and queer experiences—they are about people, with their multi-dimensional, diverse experiences.