Aetiology, Pathology, and Anti-Trans Reflections: Engaging with the Problematic Present of Autistic Trans Research
Emmett Alexander, Peter Matthews, Monique Botha, Sandra EngstromAt the intersection of two highly pathologized experiences, research increasingly investigates autistic trans people as a medicalized cause for concern, and anti-trans—or “gender critical”—arguments against trans rights, lives, and health care repeatedly weaponize the perceived vulnerability of autistic people. The interplay of the “vulnerable” autistic person and “predatory” or “seductive” transness (or “gender ideology”) combines with a research literature which focuses on causation to incorrectly paint a picture that autistic trans people cannot exist: lacking in epistemic authority and self-knowledge, autistic people cannot “truly” be trans; we must just think we are. Researchers continue to generate co-occurrence theories but often fail to acknowledge or take accountability for the harm caused by their continued signaling that autistic trans people are a problem which research must solve. In a time of such politicization, where anti-trans narratives of “vulnerability” and “social contagion” increasingly highlight autistic trans people, it is both a major oversight for research not to acknowledge this context and an ethical failing not to consider the impact that research might have. With this argument in mind, this article outlines the ways in which this research interacts with the wider contexts of the anti-trans panic and the problematic histories of autistic and trans pathologization in research and calls for a broader engagement with critical work beyond the bounds of psychology.
Community Brief
What is the purpose of this article?
The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the problems in how autistic trans people are thought of and spoken about in research. It also demonstrates the negative impact that the ideas produced by this research can have on autistic and/or trans people.
What personal or professional perspectives do the authors bring to the topic?
The lead author is an autistic trans PhD researcher and is therefore personally invested in improvement in this area.
Why is the topic important?
The topic is important because research should avoid contributing to the spread of harmful ideas or stereotypes. This article highlights how the current focus on causal links between being autistic and trans can be harmful.
Research about autistic trans people has mostly focused on trying to find out why, how, or if some autistic people are trans. Lots of theories about this (co-occurrence theories) suggest that autistic people might wrongly think they are trans because of specific autistic traits. For example, that autistic people may have a special interest in gender which leads us to wrongly believe we are trans. There is little to no reliable evidence for any of these theories.
Other research shows that autistic trans people have been harmed by the idea that being autistic and trans are incompatible. For example, some autistic trans people have been denied gender-affirming care because of their autism diagnosis. Furthermore, anti-trans arguments have used these theories to suggest that many autistic children are being harmed by “falsely” believing that they are trans. However, the research that proposes these theories rarely acknowledges the role it has played in spreading these harmful ideas.
What do the authors recommend?
The authors recommend that future research should:
move away from questioning why, how, or if autistic trans people exist; focus more on how research can improve and enrich autistic trans lives; consider how research might impact autistic trans people both directly and indirectly; meaningfully engage with the problematic history and present of autistic and/or trans research; and meaningfully engage with autistic trans people and their work as activists, academics, and lived experience experts.
How will this work help autistic adults now or in the future?
This research highlights the negative impact of current research about autistic trans people and suggests some ways that this could be different. The authors hope that this could contribute to research which has a more positive impact on autistic trans lives and reduce harm done.