Thank you Chloe! We understand difficulties with health and disability - hence the unintentional delay in seeing and responding to your message. We hope you are enjoying your well-earned summer break.

Accentuated emotional, social harms (eg self-sexualisation, camouflaging, menstruation). Some experienced gender dysphoria. Increased risk of bullying, violence - need for relationship education (eg on grooming). Parents, friends (online, in person) provided support - more research needed. 9/

Participants experienced verbal, physical bullying, especially at school. They felt pressured by friends to socially conform. Several described unhealthy romantic, sexual relationships and manipulation, coercion, exploitation (eg grooming by older man who "shared me with his friends": Gabby). 8/

Many participants had support from mothers or friends (from hygiene to contraception, flirting) - novel finding that parents actively supported sexual, romantic development (maybe b/c prior to autism diagnosis?). Some lacked support but wish they had "guidance" (Maggie), eg with managing emotions 7/

Participants struggled to come to terms w/ being different. Later diagnosis or finding similar others helped.
Some coped w/ interest-based activities. Other behaviours harmful, risky - extreme masking, identity confusion; underage drinking, illegal drugs; self-injury: cutting, making self sick. 6/

Puberty often precious or delayed; onset distressing regardless. Body changes were uncomfortable for participants across gender ID (eg Lola "never wanted breasts at all"; "becoming curvier" was "real issue" (Karla); Ruby was being treated like an adult but still felt like & was "legally a child". 5/

Thematic analysis generated 3 themes of puberty, adolescence for autistics AFAB: overwhelming nature of puberty (distressing body changes, sensory impact of adolescence), navigating adolescent world (feeling different, finding ways to cope, finding & receiving support) & victimisation experiences 4/

17 participants via social media (thank you!) & word of mouth. Adults (ages 19-50) via recall (14 Zoom calls, 3 email). Mostly women (13) but also not comfortable w/ binary (4), White (16), British (13), diagnosed (16, 1 awaiting assessment) in adulthood (12, as young as 9; several recent years). 3/

No prior study broadly on autistic adolescents' lived experience of puberty. Limited lit suggests emotional, sensory impacts of menstruation. Little lit on sexual & romantic development even though autistic adolescents assigned female at birth often camouflage, high risk of sexual victimisation. 2/