TY - CHAP
T1 - Gay, lesbian, and gender nonconforming individuals with autism
AU - Stokes, Mark A.
AU - Pecora, Laura
AU - Dewinter, Jeroen
AU - Greaves-lord, Kirstin
AU - Van Der Miesen, Anna I. R.
AU - Hooley, Merrilyn
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Historically, it has been assumed that autistic individuals were asexual or maladaptive in their sexual behavior. No distinction in this was made by gender. It is now clear that autistic men and autistic women express a desire for a level of sexuality similar to non-autistic individuals; have satisfying experiences like non-autistic individuals; and have some specific difficulties including communication with others, and for autistic women increased victimization. Compared to the general population sexual desire is similar for autistic men, but lower for autistic women, whereas, rates of sexual encounters and relationships are similar for autistic women, while lower for autistic men. Gender and sexual orientation are more diverse among autistic individuals, which intersect with autism to increase mental health risks. Forensically, victimization is higher among both male and female autistic individuals, but there is little evidence that autistic men are more likely to have sexually offended than others in the general population. Finally, there are some well-developed programs to support autistic individuals to explore, develop, and understand their own sexuality; however, much remains to be understood, particularly in the influence of older age, elder-status, and ID upon sexuality in either gender.
AB - Historically, it has been assumed that autistic individuals were asexual or maladaptive in their sexual behavior. No distinction in this was made by gender. It is now clear that autistic men and autistic women express a desire for a level of sexuality similar to non-autistic individuals; have satisfying experiences like non-autistic individuals; and have some specific difficulties including communication with others, and for autistic women increased victimization. Compared to the general population sexual desire is similar for autistic men, but lower for autistic women, whereas, rates of sexual encounters and relationships are similar for autistic women, while lower for autistic men. Gender and sexual orientation are more diverse among autistic individuals, which intersect with autism to increase mental health risks. Forensically, victimization is higher among both male and female autistic individuals, but there is little evidence that autistic men are more likely to have sexually offended than others in the general population. Finally, there are some well-developed programs to support autistic individuals to explore, develop, and understand their own sexuality; however, much remains to be understood, particularly in the influence of older age, elder-status, and ID upon sexuality in either gender.
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-030-88538-0_65
DO - 10.1007/978-3-030-88538-0_65
M3 - Chapter
T3 - Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder
SP - 1467
EP - 1490
BT - Handbook of autism and pervasive developmental disorder
A2 - Matson, Johnny L.
A2 - Sturmey, Peter
PB - Springer
CY - Cham
ER -