Who We Are

The research team

Monique Huysamen (she/her)

Lead Researcher

Monique is a critical qualitative researcher with an interest in gender, intimacy, sexuality, and sexual health. Social justice is at the centre of her research, and she's interested in developing ethical ways to do research that resists stigma and represents people's lives in the ways that they choose.

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Marianthi Kourti (they/them)

Research Associate

In addition to working on the SAAIL project, Marianthi is a PhD researcher at the University of Birmingham. Their thesis is investigating how autistic individuals form a sense of gender identity. They recently published an edited book called ‘Working with autistic transngender and non-binary people’. Their research interests include neurodiversity, gender and sexuality and participatory autism research that centres autistic-led perspectives. They are autistic and non-binary (they/them). Their three cats are regularly featured on the background of my video calls.

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Chris Hatton (he/him)

Researcher

Chris is an academic at Manchester Metropolitan University, mainly involved in research with people with learning disabilities to document and understand the inequalities that people face, and to work with people trying to make a difference.

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Syd King (he/they)

Part-Time Research Assistant

Syd is a Psychology student at the University of Manchester, as well as Chair of the Disabled Students' Society there. He is autistic, disabled & LGBTQ+. He is also planning a career in minority research and strongly believes in involving the affected groups in research about them.

Bethany Louise Longfield (she/her)

Part-Time Research Assistant

Beth is a psychology student at Manchester Metropolitan University. Beth is interested in mental health, resisting stereotypes, and working for change.

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Peter Baimbridge (he/him)

Research Consultant

Peter's business career did not prepare him for a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome at the age of 56, but it came in handy when, his search for appropriate local support having proven fruitless, he decided to create what he found missing. With a longstanding friend (who also received a diagnosis of autism late in life) Peter created and is now director of Salfordautism, a wholly autistic-lead and run not-for-profit community interest company that uses autistic professionals to offer a range of practical support with the problems that living in a neurotypical world can throw up for an autistic person. Peter sits on the NHS England Learning Disability and Autism Advisory Panels; GM Autism Strategy Delivery Group; Salford Learning Disability and Autism Strategy Delivery Board; Manchester Autism Strategy Delivery Board. Peter is also kept very busy delivering training on autism to professionals and public alike and acting as autism advocate in disputes with employment, landlord, benefits, local authorities, services, businesses, and other cases.