Autism and gender ideology

[Opinionpolecat]

I was diagnosed with autism this year and of course I’ve been down the online autism rabbit hole searching for information/help/anything so that I can make sense of my life/the universe/everything. What I’ve found is a lot of useful stuff on youtube, podcasts and so on, but so much of it is very heavy on gender ideology. It seems to be really pushed in so many autism spaces. Research I’ve found on PubMed is full of gender to the extent that it’s normally impossible to tell what sex the research participants were, despite the researchers claims about their ‘male’ and ‘female’ participants.

There also seem to be lots of late diagnosed autistic adults who’ve only discovered their gender identity following their autism diagnosis. They seem to be mainly women in long term heterosexual relationships and with children, who decide they’re non binary or agender, seemingly on the basis of preferring to have short hair and wear comfortable clothing, and seeing this desire to dress more comfortably as indicating that they aren’t women. There’s talk about not ‘feeling like a woman’ but without any ability to define what ‘feeling like a woman’ actually is, how they know that this feeling is universal to people who identify as women, and how they differ from it. There are a lot of very woolly explanations about gender and sex that make no logical sense.

Are there any other autistic or ND people here who’ve noticed this? Why is the autism world so in thrall to gender ideology?

Why is the autism world enthralled by gender ideology?

In recent years, autism activism has been dominated by authoritarian identity politics and so gender ideology slots right in.

The majority of those who yell the loudest self id as autistic, don't believe in clinical diagnosis and if they are autistic they are extremely high functioning/mildly affected and have no thought or care for those in the community who are more severely affected than them.
I ditched all the support groups when they started pushing the asd is a super power bs, I pushed back on it and explained why both mine and my sons asd was very much not a super power, in response i was told that me and my negative attitude were the cause of mine and my DS's issues 🤨
Since then I've watched from the sidelines as charity after charity has fallen 1st to self id and asd being a super power and then into transing cures asd and now asd is a sign of being trans.
It's been a converted effort from lgbtq+ activist for a long time for a couple of reasons.
1st and foremost unlike being trans you can diagnosis asd with a FMRI, which if asd is linked to being trans give the tra claim of having the wrong brain for their body legitimacy.

2nd most autistics are both gender non conforming and very literal so telling them that they must be trans if they don't fit a ridged box makes sense in a way.

3rd due to point 2 we are also very vulnerable to ideological capture.

4th due to our asd we are often outsiders,weird,quirky or just odd which can leave many of us looking for our crowd especially as teens then throw into that mix as special sparkly group that offers answers and acceptance whilst artificially elevating your social status and it's like cat nip

All of this has created a hellish storm that threatens to become a new eugenics program of sterilising autistic children and adults. I've been pointing all of this out for years, especially the targeting of young autistics in schools (am in Scotland btw) and was ridiculed for it until the numbers of asd kids being treated by the Tavistock came out (1/3 of all patients) then the narrative started to change from and being cured by transition (aa pushed by mermaids et al) to being autistic is a symptom of being trans to now when we have the Scottish government pushing autogender the gender identity of identifying as autistic (no I'm not joking about this).
All we can do is try to protect ourselves and our dc from this craze and hope it dies out when we slay the gender identity monster, but I fear that it will be to late for far to many in our community.

Autistic people in particular often like simple, clearcut answers. Feel weird about who you are and find you don't fit in? Then you're not really a girl or a boy, you're trans and need surgery and hormones.

Complex problem, easy answer. Human beings fall for it every day, ask Trump.

Oh well said ! ❤

I wonder if it’s because autistic people often struggle to fit in. I spent my whole childhood feeling on the outside of everything. I was extremely socially awkward and spent a good deal of my time in school with no friends at all. My way to protect myself was to become quite hard and prickly and alternative. I found I could befriend other alternative types in this way. Part of me wonders if I would have been attracted to gender ideology if I was a youth now but then I wouldn’t have fitted in at all well with the mixed-sex mixed-age lgbtqia groups because I was ultra wary of boys/ men from a very young age and there’s no way I would have gone along with TWAW.

In terms of the older ones I can’t quite work it out. I know two people in their late 40s who have been diagnosed with ADHD and become they/them simultaneously. It all feels a bit midlife crisis to me.

Just to add I’m not diagnosed autistic but when I read about autism in women and girls I tick all of the boxes and like you say OP reading about it does help me make sense of my life.

One reason is because as signal says, many autistic people feel they struggle to "fit in." Many may also be gender non conforming, if not in dress then in nature and conversation. Especially women.

As another pp says, it's an easy answer.

It's also highly celebrated, far more than autism. There is still a perceived stigma with autism; not with queer or trans.

Trans / queer "allows" more quirkiness socially. Especially for certain types of clothing. Eg Pokémon, rainbows etc. And garners more acceptance (at the moment.)

so there is still an ableist pressure to conform to a certain "acceptable" stereotype (trans.)

Certain aspects of stereotypes of men overlap with stereotypes of autism- so being logical, obsessions and hobbies, less emotional display (not saying this has anything to do with feelings). If you think more in black and white, this could lead you to think you are a man.

I have been classified several times online as a man through things like buying a computer!

I need to add - people / children who have very limited communication and social interaction skills due to autism, and struggle to read and write too, are not trans. I teach these children.

This never gets discussed. As it demonstrates that this is a socially driven socially contagious trans/ phenomenon/ mental health issue in the realm of other contagious cultural perception mental health disorders, as described by Mia Hughes in a recent lecture.

(Here: )

A lot of very good points here and something most of us working with vulnerable children, often with high demographics of females on the spectrum either suspected or diagnosed already, notice a lot

But I really do take exception to the descriptor that most/all people on the spectrum are gender non conforming. ALL humans are gender non conforming and most usually dont conform fully to sex stereotypes at all in the full sense of the word when stereotypes are applied.

It makes it sound as if gender non conforming is some sort of unusual recent thing

I would have certainly been considered ‘nonbinary’ as a teenager if this was a thing back then! Instead I was thought to be bisexual (by others, which confused me, but now I realise it’s because I dressed comfortably 😂). I can certainly see the appeal and it is very dangerous.

Slightly off topic and don't want to derail because as someone who works with young people, I see lots of non binary and trans identifying autistic people and I do worry about how vulnerable they can be. Especially if they are taking hormones and having treatment. So.. important topic....

But Katherine May is a wonderful writer and podcaster who speaks about her late diagnosis. You may like her.

Totally agree OP. It’s not a good situation and I worry about my autistic family member because of all this.

In case of interest to anyone, there is this group: https://www.evidencebasedautism.com

and this article:

www.transgendertrend.com/autism-gender-identity-introduction/

I can't say it anywhere near as eloquently as some of you, but I agree at the basic level for people who are autistic you don't 'fit' the definition of a 'woman' then you must be trans. It's a dangerous ideology which is being pushed on some very vulnerable people and is disturbing

My teen daughter is autistic, although hasn't questioned her gender identity but knows of many other autistic teens who have. It does seem that autistic people are perhaps more likely to do so. I think it can perhaps be partly explained by the fact that as an autistic person you often feel like you don't belong or fit in which can lead to questioning things about yourself.

I figured it's because we're different to social norm they presume we are all going to be the same in regards to views on those minority based topics.

Like the stereotypes about lesbians being all for it too, or into every woman etc

I think people forget even autistic individuals..are..individuals and don't have the same thoughts, beliefs

Most services that autistic people are totally on board with gender ID, so they operate in a world where it is highly visible.

My daughter went to sen youth clubs and the amount of rainbow and transxrelated stuff she brought home was amazing.

Add in the fact that most autistic people lack a strong self of self or ability to fit in - changing gender gives a sort of role to navigate the world.

I'm in Scotland too with a severely autistic DC who just started primary at a ASN base (just turned 6). He is non verbal, although he makes noise through screeching. He also bangs objects and spins. I think it's all sensory. Also he is not toilet trained; we've been trying for 3 years but can't make it happen sadly. Anyway I'm saying all this as I 100% worry about gender ideology getting pushed on my v vulnerable child and already I've had to say no it's not a super power when told this by a parent of a support group and the support group leader.

Is there anywhere I can get help with this ideology being pushed on us @Hoardasurass ? It sounds like you're pretty versed up on all this through your experiences. My DC's educational psychologist was a she/her in emails and had a trans pin on her shirt I always felt wary. I never brought anything up during meetings with her but I got a bit of a Mrs Coulter vibe when with her. We've not seen her since he left nursery but it is still on system and his files as the person who sees him in that capacity. So far thankfully the school teachers seem v nice.

Conversely I wonder if it's autistic women in particular who are more likely to question the concept of gender identity since it isn't based in reality.

Unfortunately I haven't found any Scottish asd groups that don't push all the identity/super power bs (probably because they all get Scottish government funding) @INeedAPensieve . I would strongly suggest avoiding the autism one stop charity, they actually have trans flags and the new progress flag (the 1 with the "autism " emblem) in the window.
However when it comes to school you as his parent have the right to withdraw your dc from all sex Ed and religious lessons (in Scotland) you can also have it written into his plp that noone is allowed to teach him about lgbtq+.
Also check if your DS's school is signed up to lgbtq youth Scotlands school ranking system if they are I strongly advise moving school if at all possible.
There is an online group called S.U.E it's a bunch of teachers and parents who are fighting back against the Scottish government's woke agenda in schools. They're not really an asd group but sometimes it's helpful to see someone else fight against the insanity and know that you're not alone.
I know that this may sound cold and I really don't mean it to be but I want to reassure you that because your ds is so severely affected by asd (though he's still very young and this may not always be the case) the super power pushers will actively avoid him (whilst simultaneously blaming you ) because he doesn't fit the narrative they are pushing and the charities are no longer really set up to offer any help. Oh and camhs won't touch you with a bargepole so whilst you and he will get very little in active support or practical help they won't be pushing the dangerous nonsense of super powers and trans to him.
My ds is in 5th year now so unfortunately I've been forced to fight this for quite some time and all I can say is you learn very quickly who you can trust and who to avoid at all cost trust your gut feelings

Thanks everyone these are very interesting points and lots to think about. Like many autistic people I always felt that I didn't fit in, but I still don't understand why people, including apparently intelligent middle-aged people, become convinced this means they don’t have the biological sex that they've had for the last 40 years. I suppose since I work in a field where the effects of biological sex are clear and the fact that it can't be changed is obvious, I'm always surprised by the very poor level of scientific literacy I see in many people, even some very educated ones, who buy into gender ideology. I was what would have been described as a tomboy growing up, but as somebody who was a teenager in the 1980s, I took the attitude that the stereotypes were a load of rubbish and that if I was female and didn't fit the stereotypes then the stereotypes were wrong, not me. It's interesting and horrifying how attitudes have shifted to say that if somebody doesn't fit the stereotypes then the stereotypes are correct and the person and their body are wrong.

It's an interesting point that trans is highly celebrated compared to autism, and I definitely agree with that. In the last year, since realising I probably was autistic, getting my diagnosis and then starting to tell some people, it's become obvious that the vast majority of people, including myself before I started looking into it, don't have much of a clue what autism actually is. Being trans seems to be far more pushed in the media.

Mia Hughes’ lecture was really interesting, thanks for recommending it WarriorN. I'd heard of culture bound syndromes before, but didn't know a lot about them and how they worked. It's definitely something to think about more.

I can certainly identify with the idea of not having a strong sense of self, Arran2024, I've often felt like I don't have a personality and I suppose realising that I've been masking for so long is probably why. It’s caused something of an identity crisis for me, so maybe it's understandable that people could be drawn into gender ideology through that route. There is a lot of “sciencey” sounding stuff online that promotes gender ideology, and unfortunately many healthcare professionals who promote it as well, even though when you look at what they're saying and the evidence they’re citing, it ranges from utter drivel to poor quality.
Really agree that autism is not a superpower. Some of my autistic traits have definitely helped me to get ahead in my career and qualifications, but there are aspects of my life where I really struggle. In some ways I feel like autism, or at least being undiagnosed autistic, has screwed up my life. Maybe that feeling will improve with time, I don't know.

Sortumn, it's an interesting point that it might be autistic women who are more likely to question gender identity. I definitely feel like my logical thinking is an autistic strength and is something that's helped me see the lack of logic and evidence behind this.

Leafstamp, thanks for those websites, I will have a look them in more depth later.

I went into this wanting information about my own brain and feel like I’ve blundered into an alternate reality!

An interesting thread, thank you @Opinionpolecat and thank you @Hoardasurass for your advice. You didn't sound cold at all, don't worry. I've had an inclination in the back of my head that my boy is going to need a lot more support than the children I've met so far at these groups. I've not joined any official ones; I have subscribed to the emails of the national autistic society but haven't attended anything in person. I have tried when going into the school he's at to spot any signs of the paedophile enabling LGBTYS (if anyone's interested I started a thread about them a while back; it's horrifying that they have not been removed from schools). So far I've not seen any, which is good. Also I didn't realise I could remove him from sex ed; to be fair I don't think it would be appropriate for him anyway even if it was not teaching gender ideology; his disability is severe I think he wouldn't be mature enough to understand. He's very childlike. Although I appreciate he's only 6 and hopefully will maybe change in future. I'm trying to just live day by day. I find it hard to navigate sometimes; I had never met or known anyone with autism until I met my DHs family. Perhaps some school peers mildly but I wasn't actively friends with anyone and nobody in our family's side has autism. So I'm just trying to meet my DS's needs and understand his thinking, which a day by day journey!

Hi OP,

You might find this thread interesting.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5050306-take-part-autistic-gender-critical-voices

There's a link to the blog that's mentioned within the thread too.

This was our experience. My autistic dd attended a MH youth group. Just the routine of greeting each other involved self identification. Not just pronouns, but an ever increasing range of spiritual, animal, ND identities. These were teens with complex social and emotional needs, many having experienced neglect and abuse, many ND who were desperate to understand themselves, fit in and mature. But instead of getting sound, MH support, they got unquestioning affirmation of what they'd found online.

It’s worth being aware that, as a PP mentioned, a lot of the older non-binary crowd are also “identifying as” autistic rather than having an actual diagnosis. Obviously the waiting lists are long (etc) but there is a - very vocal - grouping who are hugely engaged in the world of identity politics & label-claiming. Identifying as oppressed is very much a thing: moving from being a heterosexual white middle-class middle-aged woman into a queer non-binary trans disabled person - minority faith optional - with no material change to their life other than gaining Oppression Points (sadly not as useful as Nectar/Advantage/Clubcard etc points).

All the autism support services near me push pronoun-sharing & ask for your gender identity. Mind you, I was asked for my gender ID when booking my last haircut, so it does sometimes feel as if the whole world has bought into the madness.