Another prominent T claiming to be a little bit autistic

I wonder how many of us who have gender critical views on Mumsnet are autistic? (Perhaps because we know what it's like to not "feel" womanly, and because we have trouble with definitions changing and lying to be socially kind?)

I hope in our brave new world the stats on women with autism aren't messed up by transwomen. I know it's selfish, but I want to see those stats rise because women are properly being diagnosed, not because autistic men are using the label of woman from now on.

Having gone through the diagnosis process several times now - I found the most helpful approach was when the Wechsler was used as an add on after the triad of impairment diagnosis. The idea is to find the strengths and not just the negatives.

An IQ score can't generally be given with autism as the profile is spikey - so this test was really helpful in finding out how to approach learning style.

Multi disciplinary diagnosis by developmental paediatrician and clinical psychologist using this to help school understand why someone in the top few % for reading could not retain verbal instructions as very low % in working memory but excellent long term memory.

Techniques can then be found and teachers made aware that child not being awkward etc. The spikey profile is diagnositically notable and confirms the neurological deficit. Really valued their approach and use of words 'differences' - language can be too negative around autism.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wechsler_Intelligence_Scale_for_Children

Would recommend anyone going through diagnosis to look at this as it is such helpful information and focuses on wow look what you can do , but was hidden under there by wrong approach.

It is really a good tool to move on from the diagnosis - as every single person with autism is different . It uncovers best personal learning style and stops people beating themselves up about inconsistencies in concentration etc

LM feels able to describe themselves as a woman and a lesbian so not sure why anyone would be surprised at the more recent additions.

I’m sure they’ll be something else next week.

I do agree though that they are a deeply troubled person who needs proper support and help.

Well put, SpartacusAutisticus.

I guess it's possible that he meets the criteria and is currently only self diagnosed? The waiting lists on the nhs are huge and it costs between £700-£1,500 plus to get a private assessment. However, I don't get why anyone would publicly announce being autistic without a professional telling you so. I'm still awaiting diagnosis and wouldn't ever tell people in real life that I strongly suspect that I'm autistic.

It is becoming increasingly clear that this chap has a lot of very complex mental health issues. Is he classed as employed by the Labour party? Any other employer with an employee acting like this would have a duty of care and should investigate and provide support.

Much as I find him completely abhorrent deep down I feel so very desperately sorry for him. The way he talks.......it's so clear he's an extremely troubled young man. I really pity him tbh.

I'm openly GC on Twitter. I've gained quite a few followers recently re autism and trans. And (probably thanks to terf blocker til he went kaput! ) no bad feedback from it either.

I was wary, but it's gone well. So far...

@autisticappropriation

It’s tough being gender critical on autistic Twitter. You are not alone. Most middle aged autistic woman I’ve spoken to about it, is gender critical. But I’m careful about who I raise it with.

It’s tough, and it’s so important that the female presentation of autism is recognised.

I dread the day that I’m asked my views on trans-issues outright. Lying hurts me. It denies my reality. I can’t do it, and will be torn to shreds. I don’t have the social energy to fight for the young autistic people who may end up sterilising themselves.

It never surprises me when it’s the self-diagnosed Autistics who have the energy to shout the loudest

Can I ask why is is harder to be diagnosed if a woman? Is that the case worldwide or is the UK lacking in providing the ability to diagnose equally?

Because diagnostic criteria and screening checklists were formulated before female presentation of autism was understood and so are skewed towards Male presentations of autism.

Because WAGs “mask” more and copy social behaviour more so are less likely to be spotted and referred and when they are referred, they are much older on average.

Should add my brother was diagnosed with all kinds of things throughout childhood that we now know are all parts of being autistic. He just never got retested after the medical profession in our neck of the woods had that as an official diagnosis.

That tweet has been deleted now by Madigan. Probably for the best

And according to the profile, no longer 'schizo'. But still 'a bit autistic'. Jesus wept.

Before I learned more about autism I used to say my youngest brother was "a little autistic". When and where we grew up was so far behind on even just recognising autism, he never got any treatment, he was just treated like a stupid little bastard by the teachers for the first four years of school (still full on raging about that). Then my parents had a huge fight and after that he attended a special needs school. Opposing arguments centred on his mental health and sense of self-worth vs high expectations leading to higher achievement. My parents decided to err on the side of the former and it was the right choice.

But the funny thing is even though that triad of impairment fully applies to him he wasn't ever properly diagnosed as autistic. Now he simply will not submit to be tested and my parents strongly object to us even mentioning the a-word or referencing his impairments in his presence.

So I find it incredibly offensive when someone lays claim to the autism label to make themselves sound or seem interesting. It affects every aspect of your life every single day of your life. I understand people who do not wish to be labelled - DS has a friend who has Asperger's and we've never told DS because his pal just wants to be treated normally and so his mum asked us not to. And the amazing thing is DS just accepts him as he is and they have a wonderful friendship.

IMHO if LM was autistic he wouldn't be talking of "a little bit autistic" coz that's the language you use when you don't really know anything about autism, like I did. And what are the chances that someone who is autistic and functioning at this level wouldn't know what autism is?

Can I ask why is is harder to be diagnosed if a woman? Is that the case worldwide or is the UK lacking in providing the ability to diagnose equally?

^^ agree.

DH may have moaned about that once or twice, sporadic...

Didn’t the last thread on this topic get pulled?

I contributed to that thread, and, in hindsight, it probably wasn’t ‘in the spirit’. Aside from anything else, we can’t truly know if someone is autistic or not, unless they post their diagnostic paperwork.

Maybe a more general thread on the appropriation of autism by public figures would be worth doing - rather than speculating on LM’s specific neurological makeup and mental health?

waves at fellow autistic Spartaci

As an aside, anyone else feel that gender-crit is becoming their Special Interest?

It's certainly not up to me to question a diagnosis, but I think that when terms like autism and schizophrenia are used by a public figure it should be clear that a formal diagnosis has been made.

SusanBunch

Between Tuesday and today LM has gone from having schitzophrenia to schitzotypical.

LM's Autism has also gone from Autistic to a bit.

'but I wouldn't be surprised if they'd done an online test or something that led to that statement... ie. they are autistic but not actually diagnosed.'

Or presented in a similar enough way to have been put through the diagnostic process, just not been over the threshold in enough things to have come out with a diagnosis at the end of it.
We have no idea.