No Kidding Sherlock!

The other day on Facebook a trans person said that they had dyslexia and a whole mess of other chimed in and said that they also had dyslexia and other spectrum learning disorders, so this comes as no surprise.

Elevated rates of autism, other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diagnoses, and autistic traits in transgender and gender-diverse individuals
By Varun Warrier, David M. Greenberg, Elizabeth Weir, Clara Buckingham, Paula Smith, Meng-Chuan Lai, Carrie Allison & Simon Baron-Cohen
Nature Communications volume 11
August 7, 2020


Abstract

It is unclear whether transgender and gender-diverse individuals have elevated rates of autism diagnosis or traits related to autism compared to cisgender individuals in large non-clinic-based cohorts. To investigate this, we use five independently recruited cross-sectional datasets consisting of 641,860 individuals who completed information on gender, neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diagnoses including autism, and measures of traits related to autism (self-report measures of autistic traits, empathy, systemizing, and sensory sensitivity). Compared to cisgender individuals, transgender and gender-diverse individuals have, on average, higher rates of autism, other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diagnoses. For both autistic and non-autistic individuals, transgender and gender-diverse individuals score, on average, higher on self-report measures of autistic traits, systemizing, and sensory sensitivity, and, on average, lower on self-report measures of empathy. The results may have clinical implications for improving access to mental health care and tailoring adequate support for transgender and gender-diverse individuals.

[…]

In conclusion, our study demonstrates that transgender and gender-diverse individuals have elevated rates of autism diagnosis, related neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions, and autistic traits compared to cisgender individuals. This study has clinical implications by highlighting that we need to improve access to care and tailored support for this under-served population.

In another research paper they reported…

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can compromise health and may be more prevalent amongst individuals with gender dysphoria (GD). Symptoms such as attention or social difficulties can impact assessment of GD, understanding of health information, and engagement in clinical care. To ensure neurodevelopmental conditions are adequately considered in gender health services, we aimed to systematically review the literature examining the prevalence of ASD and ADHD amongst individuals with GD…

...Few studies examine prevalence of ADHD. Low-level evidence exists to suggest a link between ASD and GD. Further population-based and controlled studies using diagnostic criteria for ASD and ADHD are required.

There definitely some type of link with brain development and learning disorders.

I did poorly all through school and it wasn’t until grad school where one of my professors specialized in learning disorder spotted my dyslexia. I have always thought that I had it but it wasn’t until he gave me a screening test that it showed that I was probably dyslexic.

It is like there is a higher percentage of left-handed people in the LGBTQ+ community. One study found,

These results suggest that homosexual orientation has a neurobiological component possibly related to hemispheric functional asymmetry.

Why?

Who knows.