Autism and Intersectionality with Gender with Dr Wenn Lawson

In this webinar Dr Wenn Lawson explores the idea that males and females experience sexuality and gender differently in autism, compared to the allistic population, is not new but, what will this mean for diagnosis, individual development of sexual and gender identities as well as how to support this diverse population?

Autism means having a brain and mindset impacted by being monotropic. Monotropism (single-focused attention) means we develop passionate interests. Such interests can capture our attention completely leaving no spare attention for other things.

Gender and sexuality are different: gender refers to our identity and how we perceive ourselves and is based within the neurological system, whereas sexuality is physiological and includes biological functions of the reproductive system as well as sexual behaviour.

Both gender and sexuality may be experienced differently by the autistic(AS) population when compared to the allistic (non-autistic) population. Because in autism our brain leads us to…