Autistic gay man
Marina Sarris
Date Revised: April 9,
People often face rejection when they say they are LGBQ+, but Jada Thompson also contended with something else when she came out: disbelief. Thompson is autistic, so some people assumed that she didnt know what she was saying.
Certain people see us as children. Maybe they possess seen an autistic person who seems to have a child-like innocence, but thats not usually the case, says Thompson, who participates in SPARK, the largest ongoing study of autism.
Thompson, 25, identifies as pansexual, which is an attraction to people of any gender identity, and nonbinary, which means not simply female or male. Thompson, whose pronouns are she/they, wants to be accepted for who she is. That struggle is made more difficult by stereotypes and misperceptions about autism, sexuality, and gender, she says.
None of my identities are really accepted, says Thompson, who is also Black. I found out there are a lot more queer people in the autism community. That made me feel better, and I was able to find community there.
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Autism and LGBTQ+ Identities Whats the Link?
photo by Barcelos Fotos for Pexels
Many studies have shown that autistic people are more likely to identify as LGBTQ+ than neurotypical people. What is possibly behind this autism and LGBTQ+ link? And how does being autistic and being part of the LGBTQ community impact a person?
Writer Kylie Noble explores.
Autism and sexuality
A study led by the University of Cambridge is the largest study on the sexual activity, orientation, and health of autistic adults to date.
It found that autistic teenagers and adults are eight times more likely to identify as asexual or of “other” sexuality than their non-autistic peers.
Autistic girls and women were found to be three times more likely to identify as gay than non-autistic peers. And autistic boys and men were found to be closer to four times more likely to identify as bisexual than non-autistic peers.
Autism and gender
The same study found that autistic people are also more likely to identify astransgender or gender non-conforming.
Of the almo
Being gay
Our autism friendly formats can help children and young people understand different identities. If you prefer information in a visual way, here you can read our being gay visual story.
The word homosexual originates from both Greek and Latin. The Greek “homos” meaning same and Latin “sexual” referring to sexual acts and affections between members of the equal sex.
In , an estimated % of the UK population aged 16 years and over identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB), an increase from % from the year before. Though some people feel confident in their sexuality even younger than 16, whilst others are still questioning.
What does being gay mean?
Being gay traditionally means being a man who finds other men attractive. This is male homosexuality. But sometimes women who find the same sex attractive also use this term interchangeably with lesbian. According to National Statistics, being gay and lesbian are the largest group under the LGBT umbrella.
Like many others, some young people with autism, self-identify as
Autism and LGBTQ+ identities
Research shows that autistic people are more likely to identify as LGBTQ+ compared to the general population. Some studies have suggested that more than double the percentage of autistic people identify as non-heterosexual than their neurotypical peers.
That's the good news. Engaging communities exist for those who are both autistic and LGBTQ+.
Check out our Finding your community page for suggestions.
But living life as both autistic and LGBTQ+ can lead to compounded discrimination and misunderstanding.
For instance, compared with straight, cisgender autistic adults, research has found that LGBTQ+ adults experience significant health disparities, including less access to services from medical providers.
We also know that transgender and gender-diverse individuals are more likely to be diagnosed with autism and are more likely to have other mental health conditions like anxiety, depression and ADHD. Sadly, LGBTQ youth who diagnosed with autism have shown over 50% greater odds of attempting su