FtM and autism?

[darkblade]

So I was going through a list of transgender research papers and came across one that tries to present a correlation between FtM transsexuality and Asperger's syndrome. I'm not on my laptop at the moment but I'll post the link later. Anyways, it caught my attention because growing up I sometimes wondered whether I was mildly autistic.

The paper (I think authored by an autism researcher) uses a test he calls the autism quotient (http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html) which to me seemed more like an extraversion/introversion test. In any case, he shows that the AQ of FtM transsexuals is statistically significantly higher than that of cis females, transwomen and cis males. If I remember correctly, it was somewhere in between the AQs of people with Asperger's and the other people. I believe he concludes by referring to the extreme male brain theory of autism, where the theory is that autism is a result of an "extremely" male brain. Now, the study itself shows nothing but a correlation.

I've been reading up a bit on adult Asperger's and Im probably gonna bring it up with my therapist tomorrow, but I'm wondering whether any of you guys can relate to something like this. Apparently people with Asperger's score above 32 on the AQ test and I scored a 40. Not a diagnosis, but still suspicious I think.

[LordKAT]

I think we score higher due to being trans. We tend to shy away from the public view more than the general public and that leads to more Aspie tendencies. I wouldn't put a lot of stock into it just yet.

[AlexW]

As an Aspie, I can say reasonably confidently that the "Extreme Male Brain" theory is, in the community, considered bollocks on par with the "Autism- Neanderthal DNA remnant?" theory.

I will however agree that there is a strange sort of correlation between the Autism Spectrum and being FTM.

[darkblade]

I think we score higher due to being trans. We tend to shy away from the public view more than the general public and that leads to more Aspie tendencies. I wouldn't put a lot of stock into it just yet.

I'd have thought the same, except that this phenomenon doesn't happen with MtFs (according to the paper).

I'm not saying I trust the extreme male brain theory, but I just found the correlation interesting. Again, not that I think it means much but I felt like it may be relevant to me and just wondering whether you guys relate/have any opinions on the matter. My cousin has autism (and so do a couple of mom's cousins) so I'm guessing it runs in the family.

[StrykerXIII]

Sounds like a load of it to me. Just some suit's way of saying "trans people aren't trans, they're autistic".

[androgynouspainter26]

Well...I have a semi-theory that if autism is caused by an inability to process sensory information, couldn't the sensory information of being in the wrong body cause similar issues if it can't be processed?

[aleon515]

Well no. Not exactly. I've read some of the research and some of it has to do with release of testosterone around 3-6 months. This is the same as the theory of trans males. I think the "extreme male brain thing" is not a true understanding of the theory, but something that gets in the press because it's cool "see testosterone= extreme male brain". Uh, no. Cute, but no.

I don't think anyone, from my reading of it, suggests that autistic people can not also be trans or vice versa.

Also since it involves testosterone, it makes sense that there is no particular incidence with trans women. But in groups of trans men it is not unusual to see rather high numbers of trans guys who are autistic.

BTW, my social skills have improved a lot since I transitioned, perhaps because being a guy is easier socially? Or just being more comfortable in my skin? Not sure what to attribute that to.

@Lord Kat, I've heard social avoidance is higher in trans guys than trans women. It makes sense that in some cases this is biological, not psychological.

But no, not autistic or trans, autistic and trans.

--Jay

Sounds like a load of it to me. Just some suit's way of saying "trans people aren't trans, they're autistic".

[ridleysw]

This topic is fascinating to me!  My brother (cis, four years older than I am and in his 30s) is autistic, and it is likely that our father was, as well (he passed away, but refused to go to a psychologist because it was a "soft science"... he was a biochemist).  I definitely have some "quirks" that could place me on the very mild end of the spectrum, and I've done a lot of counseling and personal development to learn how to successfully navigate the world because of them.

Oh course, there is an added layer of oddity in my story that also makes me go "Hmmm...".  It wasn't discovered until I was born (c-section because I was sideways and they couldn't flip me the entire pregnancy), but my mom had a very large, cancerous tumor that was growing just above the uterus.  I developed slowly and was several weeks late.  Of course we have no way to know for sure, but there's been pondering of just what havoc and hormonal imbalance the cancer caused, and what it meant for my development in utero.  It would definitely explain some things! 

And another unanswerable question... had I been born with a male body like my brother, would I have the same "level" of autism as he does?

The mysteries of life are fascinating!

[aleon515]

Very interesting, except would the numbers of MTF and FTM aspies be similar?
I've had a theory that gender norms are something that NT (neurotypicals) don't really feel comfortable deviating from, so that aspies are more likely to question them. But that still doesn't explain the much higher rate of FTM aspies to MTF aspies.

--Jay

Well...I have a semi-theory that if autism is caused by an inability to process sensory information, couldn't the sensory information of being in the wrong body cause similar issues if it can't be processed?