Doubts about gender identity

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?

Parents
  • As humans have evolved over the centuries, a part of their brain has develop which has enabled them to be more connected to their physical aspect of being, therefore they often have a strong gender identification. Autistic people don’t have this part of the brain and are therefore more connected to their spiritual aspect and as such, many do not identify as man or woman, many are asexual or some other form of sexuality other than homosexual and heterosexual. In Hindu cultures they have always acknowledged, I think it’s 6 gender identities but eventually we come to recognise fewer than that. Often aspies are hypo sensitive to the world around them and need something more thrilling to stir them up so they will often favour less ‘typical’ forms of relationships just to actually feel something. We can often choose who or what we want to be, many children and adults identify as being an alien or a dinosaur or something else non human because we don’t naturally identify with the physical aspect of our being. 

  • I did not know that many autistic people do not identify as man or woman.

    But application forms often ask to for a gender and there are two choices - Male - Female.

    I simply choose the best answer. I think I am more Male than Female. 55%, 65%, 70%, 75% male. Do not know the right percentage.

    But I do not like that I am forced to choose between Male and Female.

Reply
  • I did not know that many autistic people do not identify as man or woman.

    But application forms often ask to for a gender and there are two choices - Male - Female.

    I simply choose the best answer. I think I am more Male than Female. 55%, 65%, 70%, 75% male. Do not know the right percentage.

    But I do not like that I am forced to choose between Male and Female.

Children