to be extremely concerned about Facebook ASD/ ADHD support pages being used to encourage parents to assume their kids are transgender.

[taratill]

I am a member of the facebook support groups for ASD / ADHD parents over the last few months/ weeks there is an alarming rise in the number of parents asking for advice because their ASD child dresses as the opposite sex. This seems to be a particularly hot topic this week because of the programme on c5 'Butterfly'

Whilst some of responses are let them be there are an alarming number of references to Stonewall / Mermaids and encouraging them to consider children as young as 4 years old as transgender.

I just want to scream at my computer. The number of parents who truly believe that preventing puberty will help their children be 'who they are meant to be'!

My point is that this is happening and there is a vulnerable group of children who are being encouraged .

Any suggestion that the child should be left till after puberty is generally being berated as 'not understanding the child' and not being a good enough parent!

What on earth can be done to protect these (autistic and vulnerable) children from this move towards transitioning?

As adults they can do as they chose but I feel it is so very wrong that autistic children are being encouraged by members of their own community to be considered as trans rather than just being who they are when they don't fit gender stereotypes.

This article highlights the particular prevalence in the autistic community and the difficulties in determining whether they are transgender or not.

network.autism.org.uk/knowledge/insight-opinion/gender-dysphoria-and-autism-challenges-and-support?fbclid=IwAR34uv01Sbyrim0UAMXR6DMchYvitw2qWrL7XTGsRsZNUYCkYBi0f3olpac

How on earth can some balance be given to this? Of course some of these children may well want to live their adult lives as the opposite sex but some of them may not end up having a choice in the matter as adults are making life changing decisions for them now.

Captainkirk - perhaps we have a different understanding of what exclusionry means.

I use this one.
dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/exclusionary

How can a movement of 80% of the population, which includes transexuals be exclusionary?

However on the other hand what you support is excluding women, and dismissing their rights.

I'm sorry - i don't understand. What do you mean, Captainkirk?

Let's not forget removing rights of homosexuals...

I'm not surprised you don't understand.

Please break it down for me. I am a woman with 3 daughters. I would like to know what i am specifically supporting that excludes women and dismisses their rights.

The first step is admitting you don't understand, the second is too look into what you are saying and fill the whole with knowledge.

Yep what would i possibly know about this?

What 80 percent movement are you talking about?

By using the acronym TERF here you are supporting the use of it to silence those with actual concerns, by using CIS you supporting the removal of the word woman, from women.

There are lots of words that are simply 'descriptive' but have come to be deemed offensive because they were being used as insults.

The acronym you used has been used in a disgusting way by certain people online so has come to be deemed offensive also.

Yep what would i possibly know about this?

What do you know about it?

TERF has been used as a blanket insult for anyone apposed to self id, including transsexuals.

Easily stopped.

Now about this movement 80 percent of the population are engaged in - you've got me all interested.

The apparent small group of radfems who are apposed to self ID, is actually around 80% of the population.

Also how can i describe people that misgender etc. What is the correct name for them, to avoid offending anyone.

This is what TERF refeers to.

Oh poop - i thought it might be a fun movement.

Most people are against self id because it is the most fucking ludicrous idea ever.

Yes

I mentioned I got training from NAS recently.
Their position is that ‘gender is a spectrum’ and the recommended reading books around autism were all by trans academics.
The training was from a clinical psychologist so I was surprised.

Cool. So can you point me to the stats on this Captainkirk? I am interested to see how they were gathered.

Pinknews youguv survey.

18% of people think self ID is a good thing.

The statistics I've seen show support for self ID has waned even over the last year. Perhaps that is as more people become aware of the potential problems. The first survey I saw stated that support for self-id was 18% and that was a poll commissioned by pink news. The last survey I saw was the Times one where 10000 people filled in the poll and 97% were against self ID.

I have gender non conforming, high functioning Neurodiverse kids. They have struggled sometimes with feeling different and not fitting in.

They will leave my care with an intact, functioning, fertile, non mutilated body.

This is what I say to them:

Gender is a social construction. It is based on stereotypes that are harmful to men and women.

Liking football and short hair if you are a girl does not make you a boy. Liking glitter and dancing if you are a boy does not make you a girl.

Like what you like, wear what you want, love who you love. You cannot be born in the wrong body. You are perfect as you are.