Don't wanna out myself as NB/trans during ASD diagnosis

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motorcycat
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15 Dec 2015, 4:26 pm

Hiiiiii so I'm currently in the middle of the diagnostic process for ASD. I went in for an evaluation already and now I have the ADOS test coming up tomorrow. I identify as non-binary and am super interested in trans/nb identity and politics. Buuut they'll definitely wanna hear about what I'm interested in and I don't wanna out myself cause then that information is accessible to my primary care doc and other doctors I see and I'm reeeeeaaaaally not into being out in a clinical setting and either being not believed or interrogated about my identity.

Does anyone have any tips for how to handle this??



motorcycat
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15 Dec 2015, 4:33 pm

like one time when I was trying to speak to a counselor here I asked if they had anyone queer friendly and they literally just said, what? and I said, "you know, LGTB friendly?" and they said, "uhh would you like to speak to a man or a woman?". so not helpful!

so I've vaguely said I'm really interested in "gender/feminism/social justice topics" but I'm sure they're gonna wanna hear me talk in a lot more detail than that and I reeeeaaaaaaally don't wanna out myself aaaaaaahhh



Edenthiel
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16 Dec 2015, 2:35 am

That is so incredibly frustrating since hiding it can affect your answers and reactions and thus the ADOS results. And if you do tell them and they aren't fully educated and comfortable it can completely screw up their interpretation of the results! That's what happened the first time we had my daughter evaluated. She'd been living as herself since she was three, so for her it's not even something to mention. But the evaluators saw it on her medical & psych records. They continuously misgendered her and during the parental 'debriefing' afterward focused only on her gender identity - even though we were there for an autism screening!

I'd go with not mentioning it, but try to be a non-evasive as possible maybe? If it were me with the first 'awkward' question I received, I'd let them know that there are parts of my answer I wish to keep private, and then move on and answer as best I could without outing myself. At least then they know why and when you are intentionally being evasive?

Best of luck to you, please post back with how it went?


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Jimothy1669
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28 Dec 2015, 10:28 pm

I should think you'd be able to talk about gender related stuff without explicitly coming out to anybody. I had my assessment a few weeks ago and wasn't outed at all. Had to be a bit careful with pronouns etc but fortunately my parents were clued up enough to use male pronouns when talking about me as a baby/child, and I am read as male so felt no need to mention being trans at all. Had to avoid mentioning the trans-related support groups I run, but I have enough other narrow interests that I was able to give the clinician sufficient evidence to fulfil the criteria she was using.

I realise you will already have had your assessment, and I hope it went well.