Greater gender diversity among autistic children by self-report and parent-report.
Autistic tweens are far more likely to identify as non-binary or transgender than their neurotypical peers, and both kids and parents say so.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Waldron et al. (2023) asked 10- to 13-year-olds and their parents how the child sees their own gender. They compared answers from autistic kids with answers from neurotypical kids.
The team used simple check-box forms. Kids filled one out. Parents filled one out. No one had to give a speech or sit for an interview.
What they found
Autistic tweens picked non-binary or different-gender options far more often than neurotypical peers. Parents of autistic kids also reported higher rates of gender diversity.
Both sources—child and parent—told the same story. The rise was large and held for boys and for girls.
How this fits with other research
Bradley et al. (2026) looked at younger kids, ages 4-11, and found the same boy-driven jump. Autistic boys again showed wider gender identity variance than non-autistic boys. The new study extends the pattern upward into early teens.
Michiels et al. (2026) interviewed autistic adults. They described gender discovery as long, tiring, and tied to autism itself. The child numbers now match those lived stories—gender diversity starts early and stays.
Oates et al. (2023) warned that most autism studies leave out trans and non-binary youth. Waldron et al. (2023) fills that gap and gives clinicians fresh norms to check against.
Why it matters
Screen gender identity in every autism intake. When a tween says “I’m not a boy,” believe the numbers—it's common in this group. Use the child’s own words, not just parent guess. Add gender-affirming goals to the behavior plan if the client wants them. Simple step: put a two-question gender identity form on your intake clipboard today.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Gender diversity broadly refers to the way in which an individual experiences (expressions and/or identities) their gender distinctly to that which would be expected based upon social norms for their gender assigned at birth. Recent research has shown a higher representation of gender diversity among autistic youth. Previous research in this area has relied on parent-report based on a single question from the Child Behavior Checklist Item-110, asking whether their child "Wishes to be the opposite sex." The Gender Diversity Screening Questionnaire Self-Report and Parent-Report were used to assess the experience of gender diversity in 244 children (140 autism spectrum disorder and 104 typically developing) between 10 and 13 years. The Item-110 was also collected. Results showed that autistic children endorsed much higher rates of Binary Gender Diversity (less identification with their designated sex and more with the other binary sex) and Nonbinary Gender Diversity (identification as neither male nor female) than typically developing children. Similarly, parents of autistic children reported significantly more gender-body incongruence experienced by their child than parents of typically developing children. Specifically, parents of autistic females-assigned-at-birth reported significantly more gender-body incongruence than autistic males-assigned-at-birth. Parent- and self-report measures were largely related. Moreover, statistical comparisons between and within the groups revealed associations between gender profiles and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and suicidality. Results extend previous reports showing increased rates of gender diversity in autistic children, now based on both self-report and parent-report, and highlight the need to better understand and support the unique and complex needs of autistic children who experience gender diversity.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2023 · doi:10.1007/s10508-018-1307-3