Counsellors

[Asdawankers]

I have a friend who is currently doing a qualification in counselling and she contacted me to say she'd done some training this week which she thought I might find interesting. It was about gender identity and autism, and the speaker was a male who had been encouraged down a medical pathway, only to decide that it wasn't right for them. The discussion was around the relationship between autism and gender identity, and the tensions these can create. He was advocating a watchful waiting position and the usefulness of discussing gender in more open terms, rather than stereotypes. He's decided that he likes his beard, and also likes wearing dresses, but is fine with being male.

Just thought I'd share as it often feels like the affirmation approach is all that's going on, but there is small pockets of work going on to counter this.

[fascinated]

That’s helpful to know.

[Asdawankers]

I was really surprised to be honest. I'd braced myself for her tell me the usual nonsense so it was refreshing. She said there were a hundred odd candidates taking part, virtually obvs due to Covid.