Just a disclaimer:  Some of the language used is less than sensitive.  Still I think it's worth discussing because I'm wondered about this myself.  Let me know what you think.

http://www.psypost.org/2011/05/female-male-transsexual-autistic-traits-5401

"A new study from Cambridge University has for the first time found that female-to-male transsexual people have a higher than average number of autistic traits."

I've seen stuff like this a lot. Simon Bahron   Cohen is the kind of person that has said people with autism spectrum disorders have "male brains" which is screwy kablewy. The overwhelming amount of transphobia in there is astonishing. Seriously...wow.

That's interesting becaue I have been diagnosed with PDD(NOS) in the past. I also have OCD. I was in occupational therapy for a while to deal with PDD(NOS), but it was figured by the workers that if I actually did have it, then it was so incredibly mild that it wouldn't cause any problems with my life.

I'm somewhat afraid that if that article circulates around too much, than the last sentence, "Every possibility should be discussed with new clients, but should not delay what can be a painfully slow process for those affected," will be ignored and some parents may be advised to stick their children into autistic care rather than trying to work through the gender dysphoria. I did notice that the guy in charge had no credentials or personal experience with transsexuality (or at elast nothing mentioned in the article), but people will ignore that and latch onto him being a high ranking Cambridge guy. If he says that autism or autistic traits cause young girls to think they're transsexual, then people will listen to him. Seems like he's a sort of modern-day Freud.

I found it somewhat humorous that in the article, those experts who dealt with Gender Identity Disorder professionally or personally seemed to be putting the brakes on the Freudian train of thought, by pointing out that potentially-transpeople should explore all the possibilities and that 'discoveries like this should not hinder the progress of a transitioning person.

That article made me mad.

It is interesting enough that I hunted down an online quiz to test myself.

http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/autism.htm


However, the article strikes me as a bit oversimplified. Surely the 2 conditions could co-exist without one causing the other?
Am also not following how this helps anybody. omg, is that a symptom? 

I know why the article would make some people mad. 

There is no way to identify a "male mind" or a "female mind" other than to ask the person who occupies that mind.  What I believe they are doing in this article is trying to find correlation between how people perceive themselves and physiological attributes of the brain itself.  (yes yes I know correlation does not imply causation but still)

That's what science is trying to do for any number of things that involve the brain... autism, schizophrenia, alzheimers, etc.  I'm not saying that GD is a mental disorder.  I'm just saying that the brain is where gender originates.  If there is a reason why I turned out this way I'd like to know it.   That doesn't make me any less who I am.  Everything that makes up who we are is up there...

If its not impairing your life, like alzheimers or something, its really just another aspect of your personality.

@Vincent - I believe it's important for people to research every aspect before turning to transition.  Articles like this hold theories they might want to consider.  Obviously transphobia and ignorant language aside.  Like I said above even if you are autistic, that doesn't mean you are not trans. 

On the test;
34 & up - Autism likely
30 - 33 - Possible autism
0 - 29  - No autism 

I scored 33 and its not the first time I've wondered if I've got some kind of low-level autism.

However, it would be very difficult to say if any given trans person had autism which caused them to think of themselves as trans (or definately BE trans, perhaps autism affects the sex-specific hormones in the brain?) or if what it actually is is that trans people, because of the way they have to behave and repress, how they are ridiculed and often lonely, causes them to show many of the symptoms of autism, which include awkwardness in social situations, preferring to be alone, and particularly persuing one subject (for example, how much time do YOU spend on trans forums and looking at trans stuff?).

I know very little about autism. This is just my not-very-informed tuppence.

I'm autistic, and I don't know what to say about this article, really.

Quoteor if what it actually is is that trans people, because of the way they have to behave and repress, how they are ridiculed and often lonely, causes them to show many of the symptoms of autism, which include awkwardness in social situations, preferring to be alone, and particularly persuing one subject

Excellent point, and I wondered much the same.

I scored 30.
Wish there had been a 50/50 or neither answer for some questions, but whatever.

Most studies about trans people and most studies about people with autism are busted. Simon Bahron-Cohen is a jerkwad about both trans people and people with autism

I would like to read the actual study rather than a mainstream article full of oversimplifications and bad science.

btw.. I wonder how they chose their "typical" males and females for the study 

Quote from: Light on September 09, 2011, 02:03:29 PM
I would like to read the actual study rather than a mainstream article full of oversimplifications and bad science.

btw.. I wonder how they chose their "typical" males and females for the study 

They probably had to be stripped naked and given a lie detector test in order to determine their twue-ness. The men were asked if they ever played with dolls, wore any sort of women's clothing, played sports, etc.

Women were asked how many babies they wanted to have, if they do a nifty job with the house work, and how they got to the survey/test (because women of course cannot drive). Oh, and how long it takes them to get ready, obv they were being judged on how much make up was worn, too.

I scored an 18.  Which is so strange because I think I am autistic but test after test says no.  Even tests done by doctors who specialize in autism. 

Any rate this article is not meant to be rock hard scientific fact.  It's just food for thought, that's all. 

Quote from: bojangles on September 09, 2011, 01:47:18 PM
Wish there had been a 50/50 or neither answer for some questions, but whatever.

I think that the absence of middle ground is what pushed me into "possible autism."

An interesting article. I work with young people who have Asperger's Syndrome, and I myself have enough Asperger's traits to consider getting diagnosed. I worry that transition is now going to be made an even longer and more confusing time for people with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, because of research like this, and also general lack of understanding and discrimination among doctors. Transition is already unfairly weighted in favour of those who can afford private treatment; it's also a postcode lottery; and if people start being patronised and discriminated against because they happen to have an ASD as well as being trans, it will be even more unfair. In fact, it's something that I think charities like Mencap and the Autistic Society should be made aware of - mencap are pretty good generally on LGBT issues, I know cos I've worked for them, so I might have a go at writing to them and seeing if they could raise awareness...

Interesting.  I mostly agree with this though: 

Quote from: akitokitoast on September 09, 2011, 10:44:42 AM
if what it actually is is that trans people, because of the way they have to behave and repress, how they are ridiculed and often lonely, causes them to show many of the symptoms of autism, which include awkwardness in social situations, preferring to be alone, and particularly persuing one subject (for example, how much time do YOU spend on trans forums and looking at trans stuff?).

Scored a 16 on that quiz.  But I already knew I wasn't autistic.  I'm just reserved and socially awkward at times.

Here's another test that I think is interesting:  http://www.rdos.net/eng/Aspie-quiz.php

bad science ? oh ya

So why didn't the transwomen show the same tendency

That's the interesting question.

Interesting, but I don't think autism makes you trans.
I got a 20 on the test.

Quote from: akitokitoast on September 09, 2011, 10:44:42 AM
However, it would be very difficult to say if any given trans person had autism which caused them to think of themselves as trans (or definately BE trans, perhaps autism affects the sex-specific hormones in the brain?) or if what it actually is is that trans people, because of the way they have to behave and repress, how they are ridiculed and often lonely, causes them to show many of the symptoms of autism, which include awkwardness in social situations, preferring to be alone, and particularly persuing one subject (for example, how much time do YOU spend on trans forums and looking at trans stuff?).

This.

Quote from: Logan Bann on September 09, 2011, 03:53:41 PM
So why didn't the transwomen show the same tendency...?

That's what I was thinking.

I scored a 15, and I didn't have a need for a middle ground or neither option.  but that's just me.