diff --git a/server/apps/users/forms.py b/server/apps/users/forms.py
index 275ad71e..f43d7679 100644
--- a/server/apps/users/forms.py
+++ b/server/apps/users/forms.py
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 from django import forms
 
+class SelectRequired(forms.Select):
+    # Disables items in the drop down list that have an empty value
+    # See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/ref/forms/renderers/#built-in-template-form-renderers
+    # See also the ChoiceWidget.create_option() implementation in django/forms/widgets.py
+    option_template_name = "users/select_option_disable_empty.html"
+
 class UserProfileForm(forms.Form):
 
     autistic_identifications = [
@@ -8,7 +14,7 @@ class UserProfileForm(forms.Form):
         ("no", "No"),
         ("unspecified", "Prefer not to say"),
     ]
-    autistic_identification = forms.ChoiceField(choices = autistic_identifications, widget = forms.Select(),
+    autistic_identification = forms.ChoiceField(choices = autistic_identifications, widget = SelectRequired(),
                                            label="Do you identify as autistic?",
                                            help_text="AutSPACEs is focusing on collecting and sharing the voices and lived experiences of autistic people, which is why this is a mandatory question. If you select <i>prefer not to say</i> your answers will be considered as coming from a non-autistic person, labeled as such and e.g. not used for research.",
                                            required=True)
diff --git a/server/apps/users/templates/users/select_option_disable_empty.html b/server/apps/users/templates/users/select_option_disable_empty.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..565560ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/apps/users/templates/users/select_option_disable_empty.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<option value="{{ widget.value|stringformat:'s' }}"{% include "django/forms/widgets/attrs.html" %}{% if widget.value|stringformat:'s' == '' %} disabled="disabled"{% endif %}>{{ widget.label }}</option>