Is neurodivergence a factor?

[Lisa Gerrie]

Neurodivergence, and autism spectrum traits specifically, seems to coincide statistically with gender dysphoria.

Bea, thanks for posting. I'm very science-oriented and always skeptical about reported correlations between gender and (whatever), but I did some reading and it does look there's solid evidence for that. Fascinating. Are you aware of any other co-incident conditions that have been identified?

You're right about causation, and it bears repeating. What is being reported is two conditions that sometimes occur together, at least to a degree that rules out random chance. But does A cause B, or does B cause A, or does C cause both A and B...? How many different things can cause A?

[Bea_]

Are you aware of any other co-incident conditions that have been identified?

I did the research for myself based on other social issues that I've dealt with my whole life and found bits and pieces of gender related co-incidences. When I watched some videos from a couple of autistic vloggers I found that I did share certain traits but on a much smaller scale than would meet a diagnosis. Once I ruled out autism for myself I moved on. I think that ADD/ADHD covers such a broader spectrum that any links to gender issues would be harder to correlate. But, I do think that the same mechanisms that have caused me stress over my lifetime have a commonality with my gender divergence. I do not think any dysphoria that I suffer is truly gender dysphoria but then I'll add that my gender divergence magnifies some of the general dysphoria. I brought up the issue here to see if anyone else had similar experiences.

[April Rose]

I have been formally diagnosed with both gender dysphoria and ADHD(inattentive). ADHD runs in my family, I don't know of any family member with gender dysphoria.

[Jessica G.]

I'm 31 and I have known in my adult years that I most likely have ADHD. Growing up I had a very small friend circle. Most of the time it felt like I had to insert myself in friend groups rather then people generally wanting to be my friend. Throughout elementary I was a big problem in school. I always acted up, couldn't keep still or focus sometimes. So much to the point in 4th grade my teacher isolated me in the back of the class room with my desk turned backwards... My mom did not put up with this and I was transferred to another class.

In 3rd grade my teacher had to creat a reward system for me so that I would not act up. I would get points that I can use to get a reward at the end of the week like pencils, clipboard, etc. No one else had this but me... She had told my mom on a few occasions that I may have ADHD. My mom did not give into it as no parent wants there to be anything wrong with there child and I get that, but it all makes perfect sense years later. This happened all throughout middle school 8th graded being the worst year I was landed in the principles office so much I was one more visit away from expulsion.

It was not until high school that I turned around and it was because of the Air Force ROTC class I took. It taught me structure and discipline and my rambunctious behavior was toned down a little.
I had plans to join the USAF but was underweight and could not put on the 10 pounds I needed after trying for 2 years, I found a decent job and the USAF dream faded away.

Throughout my 20s and still early thirties, I know that there is still an issue with concentration, anxiousness, etc. Last year was not a good year for me as most of it dealt with depression. Something I never had until the last 3-4 years. Obviously Covid had an effect on a lot of people, but something else was causing this and I was tired of it.

I started to see a therapist early last year and still do every 2 weeks. I asked her in November if I put off signs or ADHD. She said that I do have those traits but can't formally diagnose me.
I then saw a psychiatrist and took all of there assessment questionnaires and without a surprise I scored almost the max on the ADHD one.
This is nothing I am ashamed of but its good to finally accept it and have started bupropion to help with depression but it also is used to help with ADHD. I can say there has been a big noticeable change for the good in the past few weeks.

I do however wonder if it has any effect on how I feel since I started to CD 2 1/2 years now. In the beginning it started out small, and gradually increased fast but I always wanted to make sure I did not step to far to upset my wife. To this day that is still not an issue. As I began dressing day to day, I began to tell her that this is more than just dressing. The feeling I get when I am in women's clothing and trying to present fully as a woman feels so right. I am primarily a heterosexual male, but that is not to say there are never curiosities.
I don't know what my situation would be classified as. I don't think I am gender dysphoric as I do not hate my male parts and body entirely, but I do wish I had feminine characteristics such as breasts, hair and figure.

[Bea_]

Most of the time it felt like I had to insert myself in friend groups rather then people generally wanting to be my friend.

I can relate totally to this.

---

This is nothing I am ashamed of but its good to finally accept it and have started bupropion to help with depression but it also is used to help with ADHD. I can say there has been a big noticeable change for the good in the past few weeks.

I agree that there's nothing to be ashamed of. Oddly, there's something about having the diagnosis that somehow makes me feel more special, but not in an arrogant way. It just gives me more peace about who I am.

I was taking bupropion for a bit but did not see much difference in any way. I'm glad it seems to be helping you.

- - -

This post has been enlightening! I did not realize so much research has been done until I did some reading this week. In my case, I recall being forced to become right handed at an early age, even though my tendency was to be left hand dominant. Today, I am essentially ambidextrous, but it never occurred to me that left handedness, as well as 2D:4D (second digit, fourth digit ratio of length) could also be indicators of GD. As I said previously for my case, I don't know that I will change anything, but it sure is nice to have a better understanding of how I got here.

On the 2D:4D ratio, My fourth digit is decidedly longer than my second. That's just an indicator that I was exposed to higher testosterone in utero, before birth. That showed up in my prominent Adam's apple, my broad shoulder bone structure and in a neanderthal unibrow. But, I never had a lot of body hair until taking testosterone replacement injections starting in my forties. My 2D:4D ratio shows a natural testosterone dominance, and the added TRT has maintained my testosterone at the high end of normal. But, all that testosterone has not given me the least bit stronger masculine aesthetic. I was never particularly "masculine" but my felt need for a feminine presentation came after the TRT started. I don't think the TRT was causal in any way, but it definitely has not hindered my leaning to a feminine aesthetic.

I don't have gender dysphoria but I do have a very strong gender divergence. Coming to accept that divergence has helped me to avoid a fair amount of dysphoria.

[Snide_lobster]

My ex described me as such, "if someone told me you were autistic I would have believed them". Now it's not really an academic or authoritarian source, but interesting, nonetheless. I've always considered myself to share multiple traits with autistic individuals, but I don't think I actually am. That being said, I do have hypersensitivities, stimming, social ineptitudes, strong pattern recognition, hyper fixation, and repetitive behaviors. Whatever the truth, it doesn't matter to me, I'm well-adjusted enough as is, no formal diagnosis will make anything different, and I have no emotional reaction to being either condition either.

[Samantha51]

I can relate totally to this.
But, all that testosterone has not given me the least bit stronger masculine aesthetic. I was never particularly "masculine" but my felt need for a feminine presentation came after the TRT started. I don't think the TRT was causal in any way, but it definitely has not hindered my leaning to a feminine aesthetic.

I don't have gender dysphoria but I do have a very strong gender divergence. Coming to accept that divergence has helped me to avoid a fair amount of dysphoria.

I've not been here for a few weeks but just came back to this. Fascinating 2D:4D though it seems a bit simplistic IMO.

I was on TRT last summer and it was during that period that my interest in CD (and now TG) went from occasional pantie wearing for seconds to a big obsession with a desire to explore my gender. I think it may be indicative that BOTH my T levels AND my E levels went overrange.

Three subsequent blood tests - last tests on TRT
* free-T went from 21% to 35% to 162%
* Oestradiol from 37% to 39% to 200%.
* FSH, LH, Prolactin, etc available if you want!

Now I don't know if it had any bearing, but it seems there's a good chance that TRT "opened the door" by boosting my E to pre-existing childhood crossdressing and transgender condition. It makes sense as beforehand I had only occasional interest in CD or M2F but now it's pretty all-consuming.

Either way I now consider myself transgender or gender variant of some kind. I've had initial consultations with 3 counsellors to choose one to start working through this. Exciting. Given a magic "sex change with no consequences" button I now think I'd press it.