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.