The article states this child "struggled with social skills" and had a "difficult start to puberty". There is a strong link between autism and the desire to transition, and as we all know girls with ASD are hopelessly mis- or under-diagnosed. People with ASD often struggle with change, and especially the enormous physical and emotional transition that is puberty.
People with autism generally have an emotional age two thirds of their chronological age, and often have great difficulty identifying and expressing their own feelings. They also show a markedly poorer ability to predict future outcomes, both for themselves and others.
Has any effort whatsoever been made to assess this child for underlying neurological disorders? Because otherwise, we could potentially have someone here who has the emotional maturity of a 10 year old being removed from their parents and allowed to make life-altering decisions on their future fertility and physical health when they are incapable of picturing the consequences of those actions.
Appalling.