Exploring the Dual Spectrum: The Intersections of LGBTQ and Autistic Individuals
Happy Gaypril readers! While it’s easy to get caught up in our recent gloomy weather, it’s more important than ever to shine light on the members of our community that need our support. This April, I want to shine a light specifically on our autistic friends for Autism Acceptance Month!
A quick word before we begin: While you may have heard this month referred to as Autism Awareness Month, we encourage you to use the word acceptance instead. Many autism “awareness” causes link back to organizations that hurt the autistic community rather than help. Often, the word awareness is used negatively to present an issue that needs to be resolved or cured. It reflects the need to educate the public about autism while acceptance, on the other hand, goes a step further to embrace the autistic community as they are, with all of their strengths and challenges. At Sunny Parks, we celebrate our autistic community for who they are and encourage self-advocacy rather than “treatments” or “cures.”
Now, while autism acceptance is always a noble cause to support, there’s a reason we’re discussing it on our LGBTQ-focused blog. Autistic people and LGBTQ+ individuals share a lot in common! Autistic people are more likely than non-autistic people to be part of the LGBTQ+ community. Similarly, transgender people are more likely to be autistic compared to their cisgender peers.
While there’s no clear explanation for these dual spectrum identities, some attribute the correlation to the way that autistic individuals see the world around them compared to their neurotypical peers. Autistic individuals may understand social situations differently and have differing opinions about societal expectations. Therefore, they may be less inhibited by the stereotypes of modern-day gender norms. This difference in perspective allows the autistic community to express themselves in a gender-nonconforming fashion with much more flexibility and openness.
Nonetheless, autistic individuals still face difficulties related to their LGBTQ identities. Unfortunately, a lot of the Autistic community faces infantilization about their identities. This means others often do not respect or consider their opinions and statements about themselves and their well-being. Furthermore, medical professionals have blocked Autistic people from transitioning, claiming that their need to transition stems from their autism.
This argument is typical rhetoric amongst trans-exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs). Their ableist and transphobic rhetoric has often targeted autistic transmasculine individuals. By victimizing this group, they make all autistic individuals sound incapable of understanding themselves and their decisions.
Autistic and LGBTQ communities also have a commonality in the way others view us. While some of my LGBTQ readers may have been exposed to Conversion therapy and its rhetoric, many autistic people face similar difficulties. Unfortunately, a large number of autistic organizations are dedicated to finding a “cure” for autism, much like the “cure” many homophobic individuals claim that LGBTQ individuals need. These organizations tell people that autistic individuals won’t benefit society in any meaningful way and that the condition is unnatural and a mutation. Now, doesn’t that sound familiar?
Some of the very same people who have worked so hard on the “cure” for autism are the very same people who have worked to prevent LGBTQ individuals from existing. Ole Ivar Lovaas, for example, was one of the first developers of therapies designed to treat autism. He also practiced conversion therapy on gender non-conforming boys to prevent them from coming out as gay.
Life for autistic people has not been made easy, with research showing that autistic people are six times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population. While many factors may cause suicidal thoughts, some of the most common reasons are negative childhood experiences, loneliness, communication difficulties, and lack of support. When combined with the increased risk of mental health issues LGBTQ people face, these individuals need our acceptance and support more than ever.
But not all hope is lost; organizations are working to provide support, resources, and aid to this intersecting community without speaking over autistic people’s stated needs and desires.
The Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN), for example, is primarily BIPOC-led and advocates for autistic trans people of all gender identities. Their work is led by community members who are trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, and Two-spirit.
Another fantastic group is the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), which works to advance the disability rights movement and create a more inclusive society for autistic people. Supporting these foundations allows us to fight back against legislative and societal attacks.
This Autism Acceptance Month, and every month, take time to show pride for all individuals regardless of neurodivergence. To create real change, we must unite in the fight to ensure that all our LGBTQ+ siblings have the rights and dignity they deserve.
Encourage diversity for all: