From My Lens: Pride and Autism

Written by Surinder, a transgender and queer autistic individual.

There is a large amount of intersectionality between the autistic community and the LGBTQ+ community. As a transgender and queer autistic, I can attest to this overlap and I know that my queer and autistic identities are interconnected. A lot of LGBTQ+ autistic people feel this way and this is why being an ally to the autistic community means being an ally to the queer community, and vice versa.

The Statistics

Staggeringly, 70% of autistic individuals identify as non-heterosexual — a figure that triples the statistics of our neurotypical counterparts. Similarly, 15% identify as gender-diverse. To put this into sharper focus, transgender individuals are 3-6 times more prone to being autistic than those who are cisgender.

Genetics Basis

Genetics and other biological factors are said to play a role in this. Genetics account for between 8-25% of the likelihood that someone will be attracted to the same sex. Autistic people may feel that there is less need to fit societal norms around gender and sexuality. As a result, we may feel more able to express and explore our authentic sexuality and gender identity.

Misconceptions

Some people assume that autistic people are asexual, which means we experience little to no sexual attraction to anyone. While some of us are asexual, it is not right to assume that any neurodivergent person is asexual becuase of their neurological disorder, and this is infantalizing. This can also lead to inadequate or non existent sex education.

Autistic people have the ability to make their own decisions around their sexual orientations and gender identities. Sometimes autistic trans people are told that they are “not eligible to transition” as a result of being autistic. This is ableist and transphobic. Being autistic does not invalidate someone’s gender identity or sexuality.

What We Take Away

By dispelling misconceptions and recognizing the intersectionality within our communities, we not only enrich our collective understanding but also reinforce the foundational belief that every individual deserves respect, acknowledgment, and the unconditional right to be their authentic self.