No, no and no again…

Conclusions: Results suggest that ASD presents unique challenges to the formation and consolidation of gender identity. It is important that clinicians working with ASD are aware of the gender-diversity in this population, so that the necessary support for healthy socio-sexual functioning and mental well-being is provided. – https://imfar.confex.com/imfar/2017/webprogram/Paper23478.html

This abominable quotation above, from the abstract of a paper presented at the IMFAR conference. It’s abominable when you realise that the assumptions made here are all from a cis normative narrative.

The bulk of the abstract presents a bunch of facts and statistics about the sample of people both Autistic and non-Autistic. Prevalent throughout the use of the term gender dysphoria is used in a pathologised sense, as though it is the only measure of gender identity formation in people.

The gender divergent community know this is a complete fiction. But besides that, I take strong issue with the statement that we autistic people have unique challenges in forming our gender identity.

I would posit that in fact every single human being has unique challenges in forming their gender identity. That’s because we are human, and each one of us is unique and therefore our challenges, especially in relation to something so integral to who we are is of course unique.

This abstract, is in itself a steaming pile of shite when it comes to actual useful research for autistic people, because it begins and ends from a pathology paradigm. The language, the tone, everything in it comes from a starting point of Autism = Bad.

I wonder if they ever stopped to wonder that, perhaps, we autistic people, actually have less challenge in forming our gender identity, but face significant challenge in how that is accepted by those neurotypical people we are surrounded by.

Yes, research definitely seems to be bearing out the fact that there are more gender divergent people who are neurodivergent than neurotypical. The big question behind this of course, is it really that way or is it really that, actually autistic people are just less constrained by the social cis normativity pushed so strongly in society and therefore more likely to actually explore and discover where they actually fit in the huge spectrum of gender identity.

Do the statistics that show this higher prevalence actually bear out truth or are these numbers much more closely matched, but many neurotypical people are less likely to be honest and acknowledge a divergence from cisnormativity.

These are I suppose open questions, however, I suspect that the actual numbers of gender divergence in the neurodivergent community and the neurotypical community are closer than we think. I suspect we will not be able to truthfully get reasonable data on this question as long as we continue to pathologise gender divergence.

For as long as trans people have to fight for equality, the openness to admit to such a divergence is likely to be less forthcoming, even in an anonymous research situation.

This is confounded by having research that comes at the question of gender identity by asking about gender dysphoria, which is not something that is a prerequisite for alternative gender identities at any rate. Yes it is true that many of us experience dysphoria, but it is not a given, or a prerequisite in any way.

As long as language continues to be used in this way, findings presented in this way, continued gatekeeping of reasonable access to appropriate gender health services will continue. Furthermore they will continue to be enforced with greater stringency on the neurodivergent community as they seek to pathologise our identity and our dysphoria, not as a genuine expression of ourselves, but as our latest special interest, our latest obsession, something we will just get bored with in a few months until we find something else to be interested or obsessed with.

Until society changes from tolerating us to accepting us as just another part of the fabric of what makes up the diverse human population, we will continue to have to fight for equal rights, equal healthcare and so forth.

It’s time to stop considering that a gender divergence is something negative, wrong, mental illness and what not and accept it as a normal variant of the human condition.

Oh and of course, involving actually autistic, and actually gender divergent folks in the actual production of research. Not as subjects to be researched but as colleagues with which to collaborate and enhance what can be learned.