Autism and Transgenderism

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Autism is supposed to be an extreme male brain, according to some researchers. That would seem to rule out male to female transgendered people.

Anyone else transgendered, or have any information on the incidence rates among autisitic people?

Last edited by Magneto on 19 Jun 2009, 7:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

Found the thread

That is a gross oversimplification. If that were the case, the males here with AS would be really "manly." In fact, I've found that we are more likely to have (or at least acknowledge) traditionally "female" traits.

Like any large group of individuals, you will find sexual orientation and transgendered folks here. There are already a couple of threads going about AS and sexuality.

Male brains are highly lateralised (One side of the brain is preferred for a specific task), whereas female brains are not (Both sides of the brain are utilised almost equally for most tasks. Autistic brains are generally more highly lateralised than male brains which is where the "extreme male brain" description comes from.

This doesn't really have anything to do with gender identity or gender traits.

I have read that transgenderism, homosexuality, etc rates are higher amoung the autistic population. Although personally i think this assertion is false. I think society in general forces people to conform to normal heterosexual relationships. I think it would be more accurate to say that more NT's hide their sexual orientation more so than people on the autistic spectrum do.

I agree, Michjo. Aspies, being lousy at leading double lives, have no choice but to come out. I also found the lack of strong gender identity (another thread) very interesting. It may also be that Aspies APPEAR more 'gay' because they do what they are drawn to, wear what they want to, and therefore might 'pass' if intimate attractions weren't apparent.

Near as I can tell, there are just more out GLBTs here than quantitatively more.

I'm trans and have Aspergers (no plans for hormones/surgery or anything like that though)

I'm fairly in-the-middle when it comes to masculinity/femininity. I'm not very girly OR very manly

Most people who meet me IRL think I'm a teenage boy. I'm actually 21 though.