Autistic Traits in an Internet Sample of Gender Variant UK Adults

Condition or movement? A genealogy of trans discourse

“…Findings on the disproportionate prevalence of mental health issues, suicide ideation and suicide attempts amongst trans people are reported by Whittle et al (2007), McNeil et al (2012 and Ellis et al (2015). Furthermore, recent research indicates a significantly higher prevalence of autistic spectrum conditions amongst trans people than within the general population 53 (Van Der Miesen et al, 2016); this is particularly the case amongst non-binary and genderqueer people (Kristensen & Broome, 2015;Valentine, 2016). It is therefore apparent that wider issues of trans health are effectively erased within the practitioner sphere through a focus specifically upon transition.…”

“…However, social explanations for this phenomenon have also been proposed. Kennedy (2013) argues that autistic spectrum children may be less likely to acknowledge the cisgenderist social norms that limit gender identity and expression, while Kristensen & Broome (2015) suggest that binary gender expectations are more likely to be seen as irrational and inconsistent by individuals with a 'systematising' view of the world. Both of these social explanations imply that autistic spectrum conditions are actually no more common amongst the trans population than the cis population, but autistic individuals are more likely to be 'out' as trans.…”

“…Kristensen & Broome's (2015) account of autism within trans populations. The first two studies are both examples of action research, undertaken by trans activist groups in collaboration with social researchers.…”

Brief Report: Gender Identity Differences in Autistic Adults: Associations with Perceptual and Socio-cognitive Profiles

“…There is increasing interest in the relationship between transgender identities (gender identities incongruent with assigned sex which may result in gender dysphoria and/or require medical gender affirmation), and autism spectrum disorders (referred to collectively here as autism). So far, investigations have recruited samples of gender variant and transgender (often abbreviated to 'trans') individuals through gender identity clinics (Pasterski et al 2014;de Vries et al 2010;Skagerberg et al 2015) or the internet (Kristensen and Broome 2016;Jones et al 2012).…”

“…There is also the possibility that these studies have identified specific important trends in those with the most urgent need for clinical attention related to gender identity. The research on this topic was extended into a broader trans population by gathering a larger sample using the internet and community networks to recruit participants (Kristensen and Broome 2016). Of this sample, 14% had an autism diagnosis versus a population average of 0.62% (Elsabbagh et al 2012).…”