I enjoy what Temple Grandin and John Elder Robison write with their direct method of communication in “pulling no punches” about the challenges and advantages of living on the spectrum.
I also found another person writing about living without a label on “a spectrum” and many things associated with it, equally, if not more impressive in what I can relate to as a spectrum.
What I write below, in a way, is a tribute to that person:
I enjoyed your article, and was having difficulty too, understanding what the “Neurotypical Privilege" comment meant, but it seems to be along the lines of the pejorative phrase "Uncle Tom", which I have seen thrown around in some places in online Autism Communities. Alternatively, Gay people staying in the closet, to gain what some might describe as "straight privilege"
Your analogy of the "non-flamboyant" homosexual male mind living in the female body, in one of the links in your article, is reported similarly by some people online per a "non-butch" homosexual female mind living in a male body.
I cannot help but to think that could be an interesting hormonal driven neurodevelopmental difference that in some part is at the core of what makes up online autism communities, as well as many people to date diagnosed with either PDDNOS or Asperger's Syndrome.
There is a popular therapist in my area specializing in Asperger's syndrome. She identifies Androgyny as a common element in her many years of clinical experience.
Androgyny is not one of those things a person can easily mask. It is a neurological and morphological difference following one through the course of a lifetime that often becomes more evident after puberty.
Androgyny can be an issue where self-acceptance is a big part of a solution in potential life-long internal conflicts in differing expressions of two biological genders sharing one body.
I have never particularly identified with a gender, and no longer try to fit a role. That is one advantage of the online experience, which I think is an attractive option for young people to escape that source of potential inner conflict and just be who they are behind an avatar.
It boggles my mind in trying to figure what the privilege is in having a “gay mind’ and a “straight body”. I do not think that is a "choice" either. It is the farthest thing from typical neurology that I can imagine. :)
However, in all the people I have come across in my lifetime, which is thousands, in working with the public for two decades, those with that type of a-typical neurological/morphological difference, have been some of the most tolerant and accepting of differences in others, that I have come across.
I guess that is part of the "reason'' the gene pool continues to keep them around, as they often accept others for who they are, and can be valued supporting players, even if they do not get around to reproducing. :)
Maybe there is an advantage in having little to no privilege, living center in a much larger spectrum of biological gender difference.
Perhaps it is, most often, the advantage of others or what one might describe as unusual altruism.
Perhaps as far as a type of "Eusocial Primate”.
Maybe just a metaphor or maybe not.
Nevertheless, one not easily forgotten. :) Additional information associated with Androgyny and 2D/4D Digit Ratio:
There was a very interesting analysis of a study that provided a generational association of maternal abuse in childhood with subsequent generations as a causal factor of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
The take in the article discussed in the link below from the Forbes publication, by author Emily Willingham, assessed the potential that an inflammatory or epigenetic influence might be the trigger.
But I think there is more of a potential "common sense" association as a contributing factor in what makes a broader autism phenotype a diagnosed disorder, within the span of one life, in some cases, per sexual and/or physical abuse and the controversial existence of non-substance behavioral addictions as part of the disease of addiction.
"In addition, because of some of the key behaviors associated with autism, autistic children are more likely–much more likely [PDF]–than non-autistic children to be abused, physically, emotionally, and sexually."
For clarification the study, per the statement quoted below in the last paragraph, was limited to a sample of individuals referred into comprehensive community mental services and not indicative of the general population of people on the spectrum.
Sexual and/or physical abuse, as a single factor of risk, predisposes a higher statistical incidence for the need of comprehensive community mental health services with or without an autism spectrum diagnosis or assessment as such.
There is no indication in the study, quoted below, whether or not associated sexual and physical abuse are part of what actually led to a diagnosis among the individuals in the study.
It is unlikely that physical and sexual abuse causes language impairments, deficits in motor skills, but potentially issues with sensory integration problems as chronic stress can lead to issues such as sensitivity to noise, but none of these neuro-developmental impairments is required for a spectrum diagnosis, per the current loose criteria requirements for Asperger's syndrome and PDDNOS, nor will they be mandatory required for a DSM5 diagnosis.
Ironically, the Gillberg criteria for Asperger's syndrome provides insurance for the continued capture of some type of neurodevelopmental disorder as language impairments and problems in motor development remain as mandatory criteria.
It is a well-known factor that chronic stress can lead to RRBI type behaviors, not only in humans but in other animals, like rats, with the only other requirements currently required for a diagnosis potentially as limited as deficit in ability for back and forth conversation and developing and maintaining peer appropriate friendships. Sexual and physical abuse is among the greatest factors of chronic stress in humans.
In the DSM5 criteria it is identified that symptoms are present in early childhood but may not fully manifest for a diagnosis until social demands exceed social capacity. Physical and sexual abuse certainly rate as a social demand above and beyond what most people deal with in life.
And the symptoms of substance abuse and behavioral addiction per the American Society of Addiction Medicine, ASAM, broad definition of the disease of addiction correlates, to some degree, of what is described in the current loose criteria requirements for PDDNOS or Asperger's syndrome.
And again, certainly a social stressor that could take one off the broader autism phenotype and on to diagnostic territory per social demands exceeding social capacity.
It is currently very difficult, per DSMIV guidelines, to determine what environmental factors, including physical and sexual abuse and even behavioral addiction, are the social demands that takes one off the broader autism phenotype and on to a spectrum diagnosis for a potential diagnosis of Asperger's or PDDNOS later in life.
Particularly, when there are no clear neurodevelopmental factors mandatory required for a diagnosis later in life, even with the new DSM5 diagnostic criteria, other than traits that might put one on a broader autism phenotype earlier in life.
I think it is clear that addiction, either substance or behavioral and physical/sexual abuse, alone, does not cause a neuro-developmental disorder.
But, I also think that beyond any potential inflammatory or epigenetic impact, such as what has been described in a recent study of schizophrenia among teenagers who are bullied pulling the switch of epigenetics associated with a maternal infection, there is clearly the potential that the factors of physical/sexual abuse and/or behavioral addiction could be significant factors of social demand that takes one off the broader autism phenotype and on to a diagnosis on the spectrum.
In addition, as far as the prenatal environment per hormonal influences, there is some evidence that sexual, physical or verbal abuse could be factors rising to the level of stress that might alter the hormonal prenatal environment, leading to problems in neurodevelopment.
It is impossible to prevent a broader autism phenotype, even in what is observed as similar traits in the animal kingdom, nor does it appear that would be beneficial, but it is possible to control environmental factors like this that could make the difference between a broader autism phenotype or diagnosed disorder.
I see quite a few people making fun of this study, in various online avenues, but associated research may lead to the real road of determining the increase in actual diagnoses, beyond loose criteria and greater awareness leading to a diagnosis, per recent changes in environmental factors of culture.
There is no evidence that sexual or physical abuse has increased in the last two decades and some evidence that is has decreased, but there is evidence that behavioral addictions are on the rise.
The DSM5working groups have not been able to fully wrap their minds around a growing cultural phenomenon yet, to provide appropriate diagnostic criteria to assess and more fully measure the impact of behavioral addiction.
Some of the ASAM symptoms of behavioral addiction can potentially be defined as an RRBI in clinical practice. And also potentially associated with other problems of social communication to this point, but it does become a lower variable of potential contribution of effect with the more restrictive criteria of the DSM5, and as always less of a potential contributing factor with the Gillberg Criteria that makes a mandatory requirement of criteria for motor development and language impairments.
"Finally, the children in this study sample were referred into comprehensive community mental health services. To our knowledge, no published information is available on how their characteristics may differ from the general population of children with autistic spectrum disorders."
Autism, the Internet and "Ideological First Identity", a Collection of Thoughts:
