Published on 12, July, 2020
My experience, based on a rather small sample, is that there is a strong overlap between being on the Spectrum and having at least some doubts about ones gender identity. Possibly our lack of social awareness (= tact) means we are more ready to admit to something that most people would keep well hidden. Possibly there is a real correlation.
At one point I found that of the four male Aspies regularly posting to a small forum, three had well developed female personas. Too small a sample, but interesting. Another forum member was a paintball ref and really one of the lads (and female).
Anyone else willing to speak for themselves? Any parents noticed boyish girls or girlish boys?
I agree that homosexuality and gender dysphoria are commonly associated and lumped together as LGBT = anything non-mainstream to to with sex or gender. They are also commonly confused, even by doctors.
If a person transitions MTF or FTM and keeps their orientation, which is usual, they will be homosexual either before or more usually after, so that does link the two subjects even more. They are still not the same condition though.
The psychiatrist I saw about my doubts as to my gender identity said that I couldn't be trans-sexual. His main reason was that trans-sexuals present in their early 20's. There are a number of things wrong with his reasoning: for a start the only published figures I could find were from Leeds NHS and said the median age of presentation was 42.
If I had gone to a doctor in my early 20's and said I thought I had gender dysphoria - which I wouldn't because the term had not been invented then - I think the most likely response would have been "Oh, you are telling me you are homosexual. That's illegal, I'll have to tell the police."