Name: Spectrums
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)
ISBN: 9781787750142

Maxfield Sparrow

Solely written by trans people on the spectrum, this collection of personal stories foregrounds their own voices and experiences on a range of issues, such as coming out, access to healthcare, employment, relationships, parenting, violence and later life self-discovery among other.

Autistic Transgender People in Their Own Words

Spectrums

Geneviève Rouleau

CW : mentions of suicide and drugs/substance use

An anthology written by trans people who find themselves on the autism spectrum? HECK YAS!! My sibling identifies as trans, and ever since their transition, they told me about people who realized they were trans in their early adult life, because they're ASD had taken so much room in their earlier lives. Not necessarily by their own means, but often because of how people on the outside treated them. 

Every story is very well written, and captivating in its own way. The contributors all vary widely in ages, experiences, and some even wrote poems! I found it interesting how one of the writers used Star Trek (the tv series) to explore "ethical dilemmas, and lifestyles that would normally be taboo subjects when set in the present." Society accepts aliens alternating between genders in Star Trek... because it's sci-fi? Ugh. 

"They were not listening to their patients, but viewing them through a medicalizing lens that left no room for the possibility that an autistic person might have enough empathy, theory of mind, and cognitive capacity to actually be transgender." Sadly, quite a few contributors to this anthology experienced the same thing. Many were told they couldn't be trans, because they are Autistic. As if whatever they say or choose to be, they are not taken seriously in general because of their autism.

I was fascinated by the story of one of the contributors, stating the amazing results when a 'severe' non verbal Autistic child was finally taken seriously and the correct pronouns were applied = the 'severe autism' turned out to be layers of anxiety and gender disphoria. That child could converse and speak in full sentences in just a few weeks of the correct pronouns applied. 

SOME OF MY FAVE REMINDERS :
• Transition is a perpetual process, and you can vary along the spectrum your entire life
• One of the contributors wrote : "being non-binary is seen by others as a political act rather than simply being how I am." this also reminds me why I hate people lol. 
• These stories confirm that ADHD is often misdiagnosed (instead of ASD) 
• Society undervalues the love/passion for subjects or activities that bring people profound joy 
• You have a right to consider yourself trans, even if you realized your true identity 'late'. Better late than never, right? Your identity is VALID. NO MATTER WHAT. 🌈💛

Spectrums Autistic Transgender People in Their Own Words

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