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?
My beliefs are important to me, so the reaction of churches is also important. If it is a terrible sin to have doubts about your gender identity - I don't think it is but I can't prove it isn't - the reaction of "I'm never going to speak to you again" is clearly not going to help me. On the other hand the reaction of some churches of "Oh don't worry about it" isn't helpful either.
I have joined another church, specifically because they have an LGBT subgroup. I do wonder if I should apply the principle attributed to Groucho Marx, who wasn't the first person to say it, slightly misquoted as: "I have no wish to be a member of a church that would accept a person like me as a member".
On your last question, it sounds more like the sort of thing that would happen in the USA, but it is a worrying possibility.