Volume 28, Issue 149, July 2024

Relationship between sexual issues, gender identity, and autism spectrum disorder: A review

Klaudia Włodarczyk¹, Maria Myślicka¹, Milena Orzeł¹, Bartłomiej Orzeł¹, Anna Józefiak², Magdalena Szczepanik³, Gabriela Mazurek⁴, Dominika Kropidłowska^5♦, Przemysław Hałasiński⁶, Jolanta Mazurek⁷, Kinga Piela⁸, Cezary Bochyński⁹

¹Wroclaw Medical University, wyb. Ludwika Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland
²Department of Internal Diseases and Endocrinology, Gabriel Narutowicz Municipal Specialist Hospital in Cracow, Prądnicka 35-37, 31-202 Cracow, Poland
³Department of Pediatrics, District Hospital in Chrzanów, Topolowa 16, 32-500 Chrzanów, Poland
⁴Department of Cardiology and Internal Diseases, Gabriel Narutowicz Municipal Specialist Hospital in Cracow, Prądnicka 35-37, 31-202 Cracow, Poland
⁵Polish Red Cross Maritime Hospital in Gdynia, Powstania Styczniowego 1, 81-519 Gdynia, Poland
⁶Clinical Department of Gastroenterology, Metabolic, Internal Diseases and Dietetics, University Clinical Hospital in Poznań, 49 Przybyszewskiego, 60-355 Poznań, Poland
⁷Primary Health Care, Private Health Care Facility "ALMUS" Jacek Pieniazek, Białoboki 137, 37-207 Gać, Poland
⁸Hospital Emergency Department, University Clinical Hospital Fryderyk Chopin in Rzeszów, Fryderyka Szopena 2, 35-055 Rzeszów, Poland
⁹Department of Internal Medicine, Railway Hospital Włodzimierz Roefler, MD, PhD in Pruszków, Warsztatowa 1, 05-800 Pruszków, Poland

^♦Corresponding Author
Polish Red Cross Maritime Hospital in Gdynia, Powstania Styczniowego 1, 81-519 Gdynia, Poland

ABSTRACT

Introduction: An individual's innate sense of their gender is known as gender identity. If someone identifies with the gender they were born with, that person is referred to as "Cisgender". Non-binary, transgender and fluid are terminology used by those who do not identify with a pre-defined gender. In a manner analogous to the use of the term "neurodiverse" to describe variations in cognitive styles researchers often employ the term "gender diverse" to encompass a spectrum of gender identities. Similar to autism, gender is a spectrum disorder. The aim: This study aims to investigate the relationship between sexual issues, gender identity, and autism spectrum disorder. Results and discussion: People with Autism Spectrum Disorder may have sexual difficulties more frequently than others, yet recognizing and addressing these issues can be difficult because of communication challenges. Understanding and expressing their gender identity might be especially difficult for transgender individuals. Conclusions: People with ASD frequently experience sexual problems as a result of variations in their sensory processing as well as difficulties with social and communication skills.

Keywords: Sexual issues, gender, gender identity, autism

Medical Science, 2024, 28, e80ms3383

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v28i149.e80ms3383

Published: 21 July 2024