Autism and Gender Diversity

What is Gender Diversity?
IN BRIEF

Several studies agree that autistic individuals are more likely to be part of the gender-diverse community. While the reasons are not yet fully understood, this could be because autistic people feel less social pressure to adhere to established norms.

An autistic person who does not identify with the gender assigned to them at birth may more easily embrace this aspect of their identity compared to a neurotypical person.

An autistic person who is also part of the LGBTQ+ community is at higher risk of experiencing discrimination in healthcare, employment, public services, and more, due to this dual difference. As a result, many neurodivergent queer individuals go undiagnosed and/or lack access to support.

Defining Gender Diversity

Gender Identity

Gender identity refers to the deep and personal sense of being male, female, neither, or both. This sense often emerges very early in childhood, sometimes as young as two years old.

Everyone has a gender identity. For most people, their gender identity aligns with the sex assigned to them at birth based on their physiological characteristics; these individuals are cisgender.

Gender Diversity

Gender diversity encompasses all the variations of gender that exist. It is a spectrum, much like autism. There are many ways to feel and express one’s gender.

All individuals who identify as gender-diverse are part of the LGBTQ+ community. The T and Q in the acronym specifically refer to trans and queer identities.

The term “queer” is a general term indicating that a person identifies outside the traditional gender identity system.

Some Statistics

It is difficult to determine the exact percentage of LGBTQ+ individuals, as significant taboos surrounding the topic still prevent us from getting an accurate picture.

Being Autistic AND Gender-Diverse

The Intersectionality of Two Identities

Autistic people may face discrimination due to their neurodivergence, and gender-diverse individuals may face discrimination due to their gender identity.

What about someone who is both autistic AND gender-diverse?

Important

Such individuals experience two forms of marginalization and discrimination, known as intersectionality.

In summary, discrimination in healthcare and public services (not to mention other areas of society) leaves many neurodivergent queer individuals undiagnosed and/or unsupported.

"... queer environments often do not take our sensory processing issues or social differences into account, while autism services rarely acknowledge that we may identify outside the gender binary or have queer relationships." "Why teach autistic girls how to apply makeup, dress femininely, and shop?" This implies: "Therapists, educators, and parents view these goals as important only because our society imposes strict gender norms."

Important: Gender-Neutral Pronouns in English

In English, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to refer to individuals without specifying their gender. The most common is "they/them," which is widely recognized and used in both singular and plural forms.

Interesting Fact

Other neopronouns, such as "ze/zir" or "ey/em," are also used by some individuals to better reflect their identity. To determine which pronouns to use, simply ask the person about their preferences. Here’s an example of a sentence with the pronoun "ze": The other day, Jordan was telling a story. Ze ended by saying ze couldn’t remember the ending. We told zir it was brave to share the truth.

How Can We Do Better?

There are many ways to improve, whether as individuals or as a society. Staying informed, respecting individuals, and improving access to safe services are the most prominent solutions.

As an Individual

"I didn’t want to focus on the question of gender. I didn’t identify with boys or girls, but I wished people would leave me alone about it and let me dress and cut my hair as I pleased. At the time, the parameters of identity were too rigid for me. If I had been able to explore diverse outward representations of gender earlier, I think I would have hated my body and appearance for less time. As an adult, I realize I would have loved to shift from a more masculine appearance to a more feminine one depending on my goals and needs for the day. At 46, now, I feel it’s too late, and my body no longer allows me to explore the look that would truly represent me 100%, with all my subtleties and facets. I feel a certain disappointment about this."

As a Society

Tool

The LGBT+ Guide to Online Safety

Mani Lamarre

Specialized educator