Our Statement on Gender Inclusivity & Diversity
At Neurodiverse Training, through education, we are trying to create a more accepting and accommodating world for autistic and neurodivergent people, which often equates to improving choice, celebrating difference and championing self-identity.
As such, we work according to evidence-based principles and techniques that help people live happier, healthier and more fulfilled lives. For transgender people, this means being allowed to live socially as their preferred gender [1].
Why is this so important in neurodiversity spaces?
Due to the increased rates of gender dysphoria in the autistic community [2], the recent changes in both healthcare provision and access to public spaces based on gender disproportionately affect autistic people and their families.
As part of our aim to support the neurodivergent and autistic community to have better, happier lives, we offer educational sessions on the basics of LGBTQIA+ Identities aimed at those supporting LGBTQIA+ autistic and neurodivergent people, or who are starting to understand their own identity and wish to learn about their community. This session and our resources only exist to attempt to improve life outcomes for autistic and neurodivergent people. There is evidence to suggest that autistic people who are transgender face specific barriers in access to healthcare, distress around explaining their gendered experiences due to alexithymia*, and who struggle with living with gender roles and norms [3].
Regardless of the reasons behind the multitude of changes we have seen in the last couple of years, and the varied responses from within the neurodivergent community, as LGBTQIA+ and neurodiversity educators promoting the well-being and safety of transgender individuals, it is of great concern to us that the choice of whether to take medical routes and to access social spaces is being taken away from families, their children and transgender adults.
Our Stance
We continue to prioritise the well-being and life outcomes of our community by supporting the transgender community to choose, live and freely express their gender identity, a call to other organisations to do the same.
We recommend the following resources for further information or support:
The Intercom Trust (South West England)
*Alexythemia means trouble either understanding how you are feeling and/or communicating these feelings with others.
References:
[1] Tordoff, D. M., Wanta, J. W., Collin, A., Stepney, C., Inwards-Breland, D. J., & Ahrens, K. (2022). Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care. JAMA network open, 5(2), e220978. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.0978
[2] Glidden, D., Bouman, W. P., Jones, B. A., & Arcelus, J. (2016). Gender Dysphoria and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Sexual medicine reviews, 4(1), 3–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sxmr.2015.10.003
[3]Cooper, K., Mandy, W., Butler, C., & Russell, A. (2022). The lived experience of gender dysphoria in autistic adults: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 26(4), 963–974. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613211039113
