There have been research studies suggesting autistic people might be more likely to present at gender clinics.
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Gender Dysphoria is where a person experiences distress because their biological sex differs from their gender identity.
There is some evidence that autistic people are more likely than neurotypical people to have gender dysphoria.
But there is little evidence about the reason why.
There have been research studies suggesting autistic people might be more likely to present at gender clinics.
This is because they have rigid thinking patterns, obsessive interests or due to their discomfort with puberty.
However, others have argued that autistic people are less likely to be confined by social norms of typical gender expression.
Therefore are free to express their true gender identity without being constrained.
There is also preliminary evidence to suggest that autistic individuals are more likely to have non-binary identities.
Kate Cooper, a researcher at the University of Bath told City News how she will conduct her research.
“I’ll ask them about their experiences and how their gender developed throughout their life.”
“Also, how their gender might be different from their sex assigned at birth.”
“And whether they feel their autism has really impacted on their gender identity or whether they feel those are two separate issues and identities for them.”
However, there are some in the field such as Dr David Bell a consultant psychiatrist in the Adult Department of the Tavistock and Portman who disagree:
“To put a young person on drugs, it may affect their brain in all sorts of ways we don’t know.
Without taking a lot of time and care without doing so I think is wrong and I don’t think you need a research”.
“It is a weighty decision because once you put the child on the road, you are foreclosing thought.
A very high percentage of prepubescent kids on go hormone-blocking drugs progress to opposite-sex hormones”.
Meeting Josh
City News travelled up to Preston tomeet Joshua Roter’s, a 16-year-old who identifies as being transgender.
Joshua is on on the autistic spectrum and also diagnosed as having Asperger syndrome.
He recounts his experience of being transgender at school:
“Being transgender from a young age is very awkward because most of the time you don’t even realise you are transgender.
You feel isolated or you are a freak compared to the other people”.
Joshua explains the confusion he felt whilst growing up:
“From birth I was mainly quite a different child.
I used to socialise with the female side and never got into football as a child.
I was obsessed with My Little Pony as a child and so many girly things like Barbie and ballet”.
Joshua tells City News how he realised he was transgender:
“I realised from a young age that I was quite feminine but until year 9 I hadn’t understood as being transgender I always thought I was a freak so I never had that strong feminine side to me.”
Joshua is waiting until the end of his academic year to start treatment to become a woman.
With numbers rising, The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust has seen an increase in the number of young people referred to our Gender Identity Development Service in 2017/18.
The research will determine the link between autism and gender dysphoria.
But in the meantime, Josh is doing his end of year exams and now identifies by his female name, Lily at college.
Submitted Article
Headline
Short Headline
Standfirst
Published Article
HeadlineIs there a link between Gender Dysphoria and Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Short HeadlineThere is some evidence that autistic people are more likely than other people to have gender dysphoria, but there is little evidence about the reason why.
StandfirstCity News investigates the link further by talking to Joshua Roter
Gender Dysphoria is where a person experiences distress because their biological sex differs from their gender identity.
There is some evidence that autistic people are more likely than neurotypical people to have gender dysphoria.
But there is little evidence about the reason why.
There have been research studies suggesting autistic people might be more likely to present at gender clinics.
This is because they have rigid thinking patterns, obsessive interests or due to their discomfort with puberty.
However, others have argued that autistic people are less likely to be confined by social norms of typical gender expression.
Therefore are free to express their true gender identity without being constrained.
There is also preliminary evidence to suggest that autistic individuals are more likely to have non-binary identities.
Kate Cooper, a researcher at the University of Bath told City News how she will conduct her research.
“I’ll ask them about their experiences and how their gender developed throughout their life.”
“Also, how their gender might be different from their sex assigned at birth.”
“And whether they feel their autism has really impacted on their gender identity or whether they feel those are two separate issues and identities for them.”
However, there are some in the field such as Dr David Bell a consultant psychiatrist in the Adult Department of the Tavistock and Portman who disagree:
“To put a young person on drugs, it may affect their brain in all sorts of ways we don’t know.
Without taking a lot of time and care without doing so I think is wrong and I don’t think you need a research”.
“It is a weighty decision because once you put the child on the road, you are foreclosing thought.
A very high percentage of prepubescent kids on go hormone-blocking drugs progress to opposite-sex hormones”.
Meeting Josh
City News travelled up to Preston tomeet Joshua Roter’s, a 16-year-old who identifies as being transgender.
Joshua is on on the autistic spectrum and also diagnosed as having Asperger syndrome.
He recounts his experience of being transgender at school:
“Being transgender from a young age is very awkward because most of the time you don’t even realise you are transgender.
You feel isolated or you are a freak compared to the other people”.
Joshua explains the confusion he felt whilst growing up:
“From birth I was mainly quite a different child.
I used to socialise with the female side and never got into football as a child.
I was obsessed with My Little Pony as a child and so many girly things like Barbie and ballet”.
Joshua tells City News how he realised he was transgender:
“I realised from a young age that I was quite feminine but until year 9 I hadn’t understood as being transgender I always thought I was a freak so I never had that strong feminine side to me.”
Joshua is waiting until the end of his academic year to start treatment to become a woman.
With numbers rising, The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust has seen an increase in the number of young people referred to our Gender Identity Development Service in 2017/18.
The research will determine the link between autism and gender dysphoria.
But in the meantime, Josh is doing his end of year exams and now identifies by his female name, Lily at college.
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