Dissonances in the Classroom
Experiences of Autistic Women in Basic and Higher Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14393/CEF-v38n1-2025-19Keywords:
Neurodivergência, Mulheres autistas, Epistemologias feministas, Habitus dissonante, educação inclusivaAbstract
This article analyzes the educational experiences of autistic women in primary and higher education through a qualitative, intersectional approach grounded in feminist epistemologies and critical disability studies. Through the narratives of four autistic women, the study reveals how institutional ableism, neurotypical normativity, and epistemic silencing shape trajectories marked by exclusion, sensory distress, and misrecognition. The concept of dissonant habitus is proposed as an analytical tool to understand the tensions between these women and educational institutions. The narratives highlight forms of resistance and announce possibilities for an education that is sensitive to difference—centered on listening, plurality, and the legitimation of autistic knowledge. Rather than reinforcing the logic of formal inclusion, a radical reconfiguration of the educational space is proposed.
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