How Autistic Traits Can Be Mistaken For Gender Dysphoria
As many as 80% of girls with autism are not diagnosed until they reach adulthood, which can cause significant mental health problems and incorrect early diagnoses.
Children and adolescents on the autism spectrum are disproportionately
represented among the large, newly emerging cohort of young people self-identifying as transgender.
In recent years there has been an
exponential rise in the number of adolescents and young adults adopting transgender identities, stirring intense debate about its underlying causes. Mainstream discourse on this issue has centered on factors such as social influence, greater societal acceptance, and
expanding definitions of what it means to be transgender.
However, an important yet largely unexplored factor that may be contributing to this trend is undiagnosed autism, particularly in young girls. Without a diagnosis, and even with a diagnosis but without a clear understanding of how autistic traits can present, these traits can be easily confused for gender dysphoria and cause individuals to pursue inappropriate and irreversible medical interventions.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication, social interaction, and behavior that presents in varying degrees of severity from individual to individual. However, despite its history and prevalence, it remains a highly misunderstood disorder,
especially in girls.
As many as
80% of girls with autism are not diagnosed until they reach adulthood, which can cause significant mental health problems and incorrect early diagnoses. This underdiagnosis is primarily due to the common misconception that autism is a predominantly male disorder. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still
maintains that “ASD is more than 4 times more common among boys than among girls.”
However, autism experts now believe that the
sex ratio is much more evenly matched than previously thought. Girls often fly under the radar because the
diagnostic criteria is better at detecting male-typical traits. Girls are also better at
masking their symptoms, adapting to social situations, and tend to have interests that don’t fit the stereotypical profile of autism.
During puberty, autistic girls often experience exacerbated social and sensory challenges due to hormonal changes affecting their bodies and brains. These difficulties can be compounded by the pressure to navigate unfamiliar social situations and expectations, which can lead to the development of co-occurring conditions such as depression, anxiety, and body image issues. Unfortunately, the challenge of communicating their experiences may cause mental health professionals to overlook their underlying autism.
Given that autism is greatly underdiagnosed in young girls, I do not believe it is a coincidence that we are seeing a significant surge in adolescent girls
self-diagnosing with gender dysphoria. An incorrect early diagnosis can lead to inappropriate treatment, which can result in devastating effects to their mental health and well-being.
This issue is very
personal to me because I went through severe mental health struggles during my adolescence. It required multiple psychiatric hospitalizations and a long-term stay in a residential treatment center before I finally received an Asperger’s diagnosis at the age of 30. When I came across the stories of detransitioners, many of whom also came to understand they had autism after their misadventure, I felt a strong connection to them that motivated me to become a journalist and bring attention to their stories.
I’ve interacted with many of these young men and women who formerly identified as transgender, and some I now consider friends and have met in person. The prevalence of autism among them, and how these traits may have played a central role in their transition journey, is too significant to ignore.
While my observations of this cohort are neither comprehensive nor conclusive, I believe they nevertheless provide some much needed insight into this understudied population. These observations were gleaned from my conversations with 48 detransitioners and their written testimony.
Out of the 48 detransitioners whom I’ve come into contact with, 42 (32 females and 10 males) have confirmed autism or suspected autism (identification with autistic traits). Although the remaining 6 were confident they were not autistic, they believe their perceived gender dysphoria was due to a variety of other reasons, including other psychiatric disorders.
Among the 42 detransitioners who have confirmed or suspected autism, only 5 had been diagnosed before or during their transition. All 5 told me that if they had fully understood what being autistic entailed and how it could manifest in their lives, they probably would not have believed they had gender dysphoria. They also said that “gender identity” and transgender issues became their “special interest” for a period of time.
This observation was also made by Dr. Kenneth Zucker, a psychologist with 30 years of experience running the largest Canadian childhood gender clinic, who believes that many
autistic teens identify as transgender because of their tendency to fixate or obsess over a “special interest.”
As for the remaining 37 detransitioners, about half obtained an official diagnosis after they detransitioned and said that an earlier autism diagnosis could have prevented them from seeking medical transition services they now regret. Some detransitioners have
written about these
revelations.
The other half are either in the process of seeking a diagnostic evaluation or are not interested, but found that they identify with autistic traits. Some of the reasons for not actively seeking an evaluation include long wait times and a general skepticism of mental health professionals who had previously failed to properly assess them.
more at
How Autistic Traits Can Be Mistaken For Gender Dysphoria (buttonslives.news)