Research: LGBTQIA+ and Autism
- Gender, Sexuality, and Autism – a free webinar from ARI Board Member, Wenn Lawson, PhD
- Gender Dysphoria and ASD – a free webinar from ARI Board Member, Wenn Lawson, PhD
- Autistic People More Likely to Identify as LGBTQ – from SPARK
- Gender and sexuality in autism, explained – from Spectrum Magazine
- LGBTQ + and autism spectrum disorder: Experiences and challenges – from the International Journal of Transgender Health
- Initial Clinical Guidelines for Co-Occurring Autism Spectrum Disorder and Gender Dysphoria or Incongruence in Adolescents – from Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology
- Autistic LGBTQ+ people report frequent mental health problems – from Spectrum
- Elevated rates of autism, other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diagnoses, and autistic traits in transgender and gender-diverse individuals – from Nature Communications
- Sexual Orientation in Autism Spectrum Disorder – from Autism Research
Resources and Support
- Gender Discomfort and Autism – research, resources, & an interview with Wenn Lawson, PhD
- Autism, Sexuality and Gender Identity – from Autism Speaks
- LGBTQI Resource Page – from The Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training Collaborative (ASERT)
- Teasing, Bullying and Cyberbullying – free ARI webinar from Dr. Aarti Nair
- Bullying and ASD: Addressing Victimization – free ARI webinar from Ryan E. Adams, Ph.D.
- The Trevor Project – information & support to LGBTQIA+ young people 24/7
- Gender and Autism Program – care program at National Children’s Hospital
- Resources For Trans People On The Spectrum – resource list from TranshLash
- Autism and Gender – article from Autism Speaks
Sexuality and Dating
- Social/Sexual Awareness – from ARI
- Sexuality & ASD: How to Address Sex Education for People with ASD – from the Johnson Center for Child Health and Development
- ASD Support: The Ins and Outs of Dating – free ARI webinar
- Dating: Tips for autistic teens and adults – from Autism Speaks
- 10 things to know about dating someone with autism – from Autism Speaks
- Sexual Victimization in Autism – multi-media article featuring interviews with Amanda Tami, LPC BCB, and Dr. Wenn Lawson, autistic author, professor, advocate, and ARI Board Member.
Understanding and Supporting Puberty in Autistic Girls and Boys
Blythe A. Corbett, Ph.D., discusses her lab's research on puberty, adolescence, and mental health in autistic individuals. She emphasizes puberty as a period of significant biological maturation involving several physical, biological, hormonal,
Live Q&A—Masking: Deconstructing the Myths
This is a follow-up session to Dr. Dena Gassner's June 11th, 2025, presentation on the same subject. You can watch the live recording for more context and information. In the
The Benefits and Challenges of Using Social Media: Reducing Risks through Joint Problem-Solving and Digital Literacy
Xinru Page, Ph. D., discusses the benefits and challenges of using social media for autistic young adults. She cites recent survey studies involving autistic people, support networks, and field sites and highlights
The Science of Making Friends for Autistic Youth: Lessons from the UCLA PEERS Program
Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson discusses the importance of friendships during development and the prevalence of peer rejection and neglect across populations. She introduces The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®),
Gender, Sexuality, and Autism
Dr. Wenn Lawson, Ph.D., delves into the intersection of autism, sexuality, and gender. He describes monotropism as a theory of attention and addresses common sex differences in autism. The presenter discusses
Autistic adults show enhanced generosity toward strangers
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