Category Autism (ASD)

EXCLUSIVE: Young North Carolina woman sues the doctors who put her on testosterone at age 17, saying she needed therapy, not a double mastectomy, in latest blockbuster ‘detransition’ lawsuit

A doctor told Mosley she would 'grow a penis' from testosterone jabs Medics were more interested in money and glory than helping her, it is claimed Read more about Mosley's efforts to raise funds to reconstruct her chest  In her 53-page complaint, she says her doctors 'lied', including by saying testosterone jabs would solve her problems and make her 'grow a penis.' She has since decided to 'detransition' and live as a woman, and seeks financial damages. The treatments left irreversible scars, she says, including a deep voice, body and facial hair, pain in her neck and shoulders, a damaged vagina, and she will not be able to breastfeed and may be infertile.

Autism & Gender Identity

There is increasing awareness among parents, caregivers, clinicians and therapists that there is a clear link between gender identity issues and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We know that currently, 76% of referees to The Tavistock & Portman Gender Identity Service (GIDS) are adolescent girls, and we also know from The Tavistock’s statistics that 48% either have a diagnosis of, or show traits of Autism. Altogether, this is an astonishing number of young people sharing characteristics that are usually only present in 1% of the population. While there is clear evidence that there is a link between the number of children and young people with gender dysphoria or identifying under the transgender umbrella, there is no research that looks at why. Part of the reason for this is that the exponential rise in children and young people experiencing gender dysphoria or identifying as trans has taken place very quickly – too fast in fact, for research to keep up.

Autism & Suicidality

Research exploring the unique challenges autistic adults face in relation to mental health problems, self-injury, and thoughts about ending life. What are the top 10 priorities for future suicide research in autistic people? 1 What barriers do autistic people experience when seeking help, which may put them at greater risk of suicide? 2 What are the risk and protective factors for suicide in autism across the lifespan? 3 To what extent are autistic people not believed about the severity of their distress? 4 How can we further understand suicide where mental health is not a factor across the lifespan? 5 How can we best identify and assess suicidal thoughts and suicidal behaviours in autistic people, in research and clinical practice? 6 How should interventions be adapted for autistic people and individual presentations? 7 What is the experience of suicidal thoughts and behaviours in autistic people? Is this experience different to the general population? 8 How do autistic people seek help when they are in a crisis? 9 How well do existing models of understanding suicide apply to autistic people? 10 What is the impact of poor sleep on suicide risk in autistic people, and how can this be measured?