In partnership with ADHD Australia and funded by a CSU ECR Grant, this national research project investigates how ADHD is shaped by gendered expectations and wider social systems.
Lead by Chief Investigative Officer, Oli Meredith, the research team is made up of a diverse group of academics, all with lived experience of ADHD, from across Australia.
Historically, ADHD research and diagnostic criteria have centred on cisgender boys and men, leaving women, trans, and gender-diverse people under-recognised or misdiagnosed.
This study examines how gender intersects with race, culture, class, and chronic illness to create layers of invisibility: participants may be navigating stereotypes about gender at the same time as racism, ableism, or colonial legacies embedded in health and education systems.
It explores how these intersecting pressures influence masking, disclosure, access to diagnosis, and the ability to advocate for support.
As well as sharing challenges, the research project highlights how participants draw on strengths, culture, community, and self-knowledge to move from 'hiding' to 'thriving'.
Its goal is to inform more inclusive policies, services, and research practices that reflect the real lives of women and gender-diverse people with ADHD across diverse backgrounds.