I was sooo scared that this was going to go in a transphobic direction, but it stayed entirely neutral the whole time. Nice job! I’m very interested in learning more about this as me and my trans sister are on spectrum and experience gender dysphoria

I am Autistic and Trans-man and it honestly feels awesome to see others like me.

It certainly doesn't help that people with autism feel like they don't fit in and are rigid in their expectations (of gender roles).

Hard to believe but the therapists and psychiatrists at my daughters (very expensive) therapeutic boarding school told us there was no connection between ASD and gender identity. Not sure how this got passed a school that supposedly specializes in kids with these types of issues

For me, I'm neurodivergent, and I've been experiencing some dysphoria, but with the way my brain works, is that I don't often know what's bothering me, and if it's myself with my body and gender, or if it's not understanding and not fitting into society's gender roles, and the discomfort is from not fitting that social box of what people expect me to be. It's not an easy thing to talk about either as it's so taboo, and the sad reality is, as one of those people said, we're often not believed or taken seriously. My GP doesn't even take me seriously with ADHD meds, let alone when I bring up a less typical concern she always has the same responses, but such is life when you're stuck with whatever doctor they give you.

tnx, for doing this. I was so nervous as to how my answers would seem but its not to bad actually and hearing others say similar stuff really helped.

I am autistic and I was raised in a very Christian conservative family and still turned out transgender. People who are aggressive against transgender and non gender conforming people actually really help push autistic kids into further questioning their own identity. Because of my condition I never "fit in" with the other , very social, active boys in Christian school, and was bullied for it, and my parents constantly berated me for not acting boyish enough for not having these interests such as sports as well , being reserved and feeling things more, and not being outspoken and brash like a boy should be. Well, if everyone growing up is telling me that I am not a proper boy of course I will start questioning if I was ever meant to grow up to be a man. It's almost a logical conclusion. And then when I reach this conclusion thanks to neurotypical people's incessant harrassment , they dare to get upset and hate you all the same! You can't win with them. You were the ones harrassing me that I wasn't manly enough to begin with! So I'm done trying to please people who have never and will never be happy with my existence. Maybe start letting growing autistic boys and girls be themselves rather than shame them their whole lives for not fitting into the bill of what a "proper" man or woman should be. We often take things to heart and quite literally and you people are literally raise us telling us that we do not belong. It becomes ingrained.

Wow, this video is a gem I found! Much could be gained by further understanding this autism/gender dysphoria link. Both can cause severe social handicaps, if not properly addressed! And "masking", whether done to counter being trans OR autistic, comes at an excruciating emotional cost. Unfortunately, there are still those, even health professionals, who might use an autism diagnosis to question the validity of one's declared gender. It is precisely why I will not get a formal diagnosis. Because of my lifelong sensitivity, social awkwardness, and executive dysfunction, other siblings are convinced I'm on the spectrum, but absent a professional diagnosis, I won't fall on my sword over that. Having grown up in the 80s and 90s, the pressure to learn conformity was severe on both fronts. And I'm obviously not alone with this concern. There would be a lot less cause for concern if this link were better understood. Dr. Barrett raises a good question--and a sound criticism of Simon Barron-Cohen's "extreme male brain" theory: many of the theories behind the autism/GD link are more explanatory in FtM individuals. But what about someone who is MtF? Growing up as David, only fear of other people caused me to hide my liking of jewelry, makeup, nail polish, etc. Only fear of shame motivated David to basically "fake it til I make it" when around other males. Ironically, I've gotten along better with men since transitioning! But such masking as I did came at a cost I'm still paying to this day.

My adult son, born female, is 100% disabled with autism. He has always been confused about his body and identity in general. He is receiving medical transition services without any theraputic support or treatment for the autism? Am I transphobic to believe that transitioning should include treatment and support for the autism as well?

This dr. Barrett seems like a no-nonsense down-to-earth guy.

i found this so interesting!

I was calling myself a boy from the moment i understood that girls and boys existed it wasnt until my brother was born when i was 2 and 3 months that i saw what a boy was even after realising i didnt look like a boy i still said i was a boy at 3 i told a friend i was a boy with long hair it wasnt until their friend said i was a girl i started to say i was a boy in a girls body im exactly the same now the only affect being autistic has had on my gender is that i reacted very badly when being told i cant be a boy it was like there was a thundercloud in my head after being told this it lasted for years as a heavy weight which has only lifted slowly when i decided to transition its finally gone now ive come out

I endorse his tie.

That makes complete sense cos I saw the neurologist though the Monash Gender Clinic and I had a couple of sessions though there and they did confirm that I had Asperger’s syndrome

Good shit

Its mad how they all got diagnosed so late in life

What is the future in Britain and Ireland for white middle class children said to suffer from gender dysphoria given that trans gender related puberty blockers are not part of the NHS' treatment pathway for this condition?

If trans issues are over the internet and autistic people are prone to monomania and black and white thinking could there be a link? This could apply for men and women.

I'm do not understand why it is not obvious for researchers since autism the lack of theory of mind and social group membership and identification in autistic people makes difficult to distinguish, any social group dynamics and roles. Also the social delay in autistic combined with the puberty causes all kind of disorders, not only gender dysphoria, but same gender arousal. These kids do not identify with their gender group, since they are rejected, and social skill do not help. They will opt out to adopt any other gender than one matching the biologic sex.

The British High Court has spoken. 10:45 The most important point made during the whole video.

This is really interesting. Some of this ties into new research into what's known as *'Prison Onset Gender Dysphoria'.*

For the rest of the non-autistic trans population; explain how/what makes them transition? Is it lack of ‘sense of self’? Or ‘fantasy’? Or some ‘lack of awareness’? To me it just seems like it would be a co-morbidity. Autistic people might differ in the ‘how’ of things, but not the ‘what’ (in this case transitioning).

I wouldn't characterize myself as having gender dysphoria. I am happy to remain as a biological female, but regardless I have many non-binary traits and I'm flat-out masculine in certain ways. I don't identify as a woman or a man socially. I feel like I am androgynous and dresses such although I do lean slightly feminine due to social conditioning most likely. Anyway, I am a high functioning person on the spectrum

Urdu

Keep all teens, especially autistic teens off social media for one year. Then let them decide.

Without the Internet, the trans trend would be very niche.

spud... the nonbinary kid in fortysomething...

I got diagnosed as early as 22 months right after I got the mmr jab that changed my whole life drastically

Being trans is not about “I do not like to be perceived as a woman”. This has nothing to do with real transgenders.

Why site that controversial garbage. Who cares if more autistic people are trans? Being trans is beautiful. :)