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1/ THREAD: New BIG paper in Nature:
Transgender and gender-diverse individuals were 3.03-6.36 times more likely to be autistic and had elevated rates of multiple other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions than did cis-gender individuals.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17794-1
Transgender and gender-diverse individuals were 3.03-6.36 times more likely to be autistic and had elevated rates of multiple other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions than did cis-gender individuals.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17794-1
2/ This study has huge clinical implications. Clinicians largely treat gender dysphoria (GD) as an independent condition when in reality it is likely a symptom of many underlying comorbidities that go unaddressed.
3/ Treating GD with the single broad brush of social and (frequently) hormonal as well as surgical transition does not address what may be *causing* GD in the first place.
However, due to "conversion therapy" laws being extended to include GD, physicians are often not allowed...
However, due to "conversion therapy" laws being extended to include GD, physicians are often not allowed...
4/ to explore these underlying and co-occurring psychiatric conditions. Instead, law often requires doctors to "affirm" the patient's self-reported gender identity, which only solidifies GD and places individuals on a path to irreversible surgeries and permanent infertility.
5/ These people deserve proper care and treatment, which *may* ultimately require transitioning, but also requires exploring myriad potential underlying causes that may be treated to help ameliorate GD without invasive treatment.
6/ The politicization of trans issues is preventing this vulnerable group from receiving proper evidence-based treatment.
I hope this study helps shine a giant spotlight on this problem.
I hope this study helps shine a giant spotlight on this problem.
