Life Under A Double Rainbow – Being An LGBTQ+ Person With Autism Spectrum Disorder
by Kalliope Bessler
For a large portion of the 20th century, there was a common misconception in the U.S. medical community that those with autism spectrum disorder did not experience sexual attraction or that they were not interested in romantic relationships. However, research and personal testimonies of those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have provided evidence that people with ASD have just as wide of a spectrum of sexual orientations, gender identities, and types of romantic relationships as people who do not have ASD.
In fact, a large portion of people with ASD also identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or with another label under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. In a 2017, researchers found that, “More people with ASD, especially women, reported sexual attraction to both same – and opposite – sex partners.”
In some ways, being a person who identifies as LGBTQ+ and has ASD might complicate life more. Researchers Dewinter, De Graaf, and Begeer wrote, “Adolescents and adults with ASD and LGBT-feelings might face a double coming out: they might experience a sense of difference from the general population not only relating to their ASD-characteristics, but also pertaining to their gender identity, sexual orientation, or doubts about them.” Living at the intersection of both of these identities is sometimes referenced as living under “two rainbows” because of the widely varied ways that people can express/experience their LGBTQ+ identity/identities and how they can experience ASD. Gender identity, sexual orientation, romantic attraction, and autism are all considered to exist on a spectrum because there is such a wide range of ways that these things show up in people’s lives.
An article from Kansas University explained that individuals with ASD who also identify as LGBTQ+ have “higher rates of mental illness, smoking, and poorer overall health” compared to heterosexual, neurotypical individuals. Some participants in the research discussed in the Kansas University article said that they had even been denied service by healthcare professionals because of their LGBTQ+ identity. Additionally, transgender individuals with ASD reported hearing from their doctors that they “couldn’t be transgender because their autism would prevent them from understanding their own [gender identity].” The personhood and autonomy of LGBTQ+ people with ASD is constantly questioned and dismissed.
As the author of Sex, Sexuality and the Autism Spectrum Wendy Lawson wrote, “Being an individual with ASD and being different because of sexual orientation too, is much more common than we think. I know several individuals with ASD who are gay, bi, or trans[gender]…we each need a place to call home.”
As of 2020, there are few widespread communities and spaces that exist specifically for LGBTQ+ individuals with autism spectrum disorder. By educating medical professionals, continuing research and collecting data about people living under the double rainbow, and creating spaces led by LGBTQ+ individuals with ASD for them, the beautiful diversity of identities and experiences in both communities can be fully acknowledged and supported.
SOURCES:
Dewinter, J., De Graaf, H. & Begeer, S. Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Romantic Relationships in Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 47, 2927–2934 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3199-9
Bennett, Matthew & Webster, Amanda & Goodall, Emma & Rowland, Susannah. (2018). Intimacy and Romance Across the Autism Spectrum: Unpacking the “Not Interested in Sex” Myth: Translating Myths and Misconceptions into Positive Futures. 10.1007/978-981-13-3359-0_10.
Lawson, Wendy. Sex, Sexuality and the Autism Spectrum, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2004. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.flagship.luc.edu/lib/luc/detail.action?docID=290662.