Autism in girls - I was wrong

This video was sponsored by Tiimo, the visual planning app: go.onelink.me/w6CP/tiimocalendar (available on Apple, Android and desktop)
The topic of autism in girls is highly searched for these days, and in 2019 I made a video called, "Autism Symptoms in Girls" , which has gone on to be the highest viewed video on this channel: • Autism symptoms in GIRLS
But after much reflection I wanted to revisit this idea of "gendered autistic traits" and move away from the idea of female autism and male autism altogether.
I chatted with Purple Ella about this topic and we decided to do a mini collab where we both discuss this topic. Check out her video here:
• Autistic Girls Are We ...
Cordelia Fine books I recommend (Affiliate links):
Delusions of Gender (UK) uk.bookshop.org/a/3373/978184...
Delusions of Gender (US) bookshop.org/a/16677/97803933...
Testosterone Rex (UK) uk.bookshop.org/a/3373/978178...
Testosterone Rex (US) bookshop.org/a/16677/97803933...
A clarification about Maria Montessori - The Absorbent Mind (not her first book as I said in the video) does contain some quotes re: her eugenicist views, although her general educational philosophy does not promote this. I actually do really appreciate parts of the Montessori method, but I wanted to mention her views to make the point that it was not uncommon for people to hold them, even people who had otherwise decent thoughts about education.

[@YoSamdySam]

Go give Purple Ella's video on the same topic (slightly different perspective) some love: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmTSmaOGatZmo5I

[@spiralnerd]

I kinda love that you both seem to be wearing the same overalls! They look super comfy!

[@Aurelia2147]

Behaviourism is so old-school. I'm happy that today's psychological research is moving away from them. Thank you for the great video!!

[@seejendo3290]

@@Aurelia2147 now if only the therapists and practitioners would move away from it too.

[@Aurelia2147]

@@seejendo3290 exactly! We’re no universal machines. Even though there might be universal laws they don’t apply to everyone or show themselves in very different ways 🤖

[@seejendo3290]

@@Aurelia2147 like most societal woes - this is yet another problem that in part needs to be solved with education.

[@autitrain]

I'm a male and my brain isn't male or female. My brain is autistic. It's the best way I can describe it.

[@valeriepradeau9601]

I love that explanation

[@alexc2265]

You may benefit from looking up shaman gender and how shamans were often neurodivergent people, were outside the boundaries of the gender binary, and were allowed and even encouraged to be this way in several native societies

[@yazajag]

I think I can relate to this and I am a female. Though I also can relate to a few "female" brained and "male" brained things, I definitely have a very neurodivergent and non-binary gender neutral/gender balanced spectrum mind/brain. 🙄🧠

[@yazajag]

@@alexc2265 That is so cool and interesting because I can relate to original comment and I have interest in shamanism and write about that subject a lot as well.

[@yazajag]

@@jaded9087 same here

[@ComputerVA]

"Done is better than perfect." Great Idea! I waste so much time waiting for perfect.

[@videocliplover]

My mentor gave me that advice and told me that sometimes good enough is better but it’s given me so much anxiety over how do I know when something is good enough.

[@SpaztasticSheep]

"Don't let the perfect get in the way of the good."

[@aumgillett8475]

After much deliberation over this myself, I've come to the conclusion that nothing is really perfect. Everyone has a different perspective on things, & everyone's idea of perfect is different. Even our own ideas of perfect are subject to change. Therefore, perfection is actually a fallacy. (This isn't to say that it don't still struggle with this. But it does help to realize I think). The perfectionist in me wants to say that done isn't necessarily better than perfect, but that getting it out there is more important than perfection. &, as with this video, corrections are always able to be made. Never let a lack of perfection hold you back. Often we learn the most from dialogue with others, & you might not have that if you never put it out there. Most people appreciate things that are imperfect more than things that they perceive as perfect anyway. Perfection is unrelatable

[@andgate2000]

No such thing as perfect.

[@seejendo3290]

I really appreciate that you took the time to reflect on what you have said in the past because that’s EXACTLY what the entire autism community needs to do. There’s still so much we don’t know and so many gaps in the research. Even as the research evolves, most practitioners, parents, and people don’t keep up with it. I’m literally planning my life (with an autistic husband and two autistic toddlers) around changing careers so I can get a PhD and research subtypes, improving diagnostic instruments, and educating the entire community of people who support autistic people. We have to change this... we’re better than we were but we’re still so far from where we need to be.

[@littleblackdrezz]

I’m with you! I’m an Aspie with a husband diagnosed with ADHD, two kids with twice exceptions. I moved my career in to the Functional Nutrition, Medical Cannabis, and herbalism worlds, currently studying fundamentals in neuroscience. My goal is to change the perspectives and support the community as a whole. Let’s connect!

[@seejendo3290]

@@littleblackdrezz how old are your kids? Im still quite early in my journey (2 year old girl and 4 year old boy) but twice exceptional is likely true for mine too.

[@lynngrant4023]

@@littleblackdrezz "twice exceptions" can some one pls explain this reference?

[@lynngrant4023]

See Jen Do - thx for stating this appreciation clearly. 1st two sentences - brilliant!!! 3rd sentence - keeping up with the cutting edge of thinking while worthwhile is exhausting & some times we need to give eating, sleeping and general life (processing, reflection, etc) time too. Quite agree.

[@Catlily5]

@@lynngrant4023 Twice exceptional means you are both above average and disabled especially in a school setting. So you might be both in a gifted program and a special education program in school. This happened to me but I never heard the term until I was an adult.

[@classvideosbydrstarrs6433]

Hi Sam, as an autistic professor of clinical psychology, this is exactly what I strive to do - to teach my students to be critical thinkers and scientists who are knowledgeable but critical of the way that we define mental "illness" vs. mental health, of what should even be considered a "mental disorder" vs. normal ND development, gender identity, sexual orientation etc. Must say: the new generation give me hope, (at least here in North America) they are really pushing for divergence at every level to be viewed as, not just the norm, but the heart of the future... we are getting there 🙂

[@digiscream]

I've only been on this journey for a few months, but...after talking to the folk on your Discord, and watching many of the explosion of "This is what autism looks like in women" videos, it became fairly clear that if we're going to split autism into two "types", the gender split is coincidental rather than causal. It's actually much closer to "well-masked and ostensibly functional" vs "caught in childhood" - because almost all of the people who're coming into this later in life present exactly according to the broad "female autism" type, almost by definition - we're the ones who've learned to cope with the world, through a combination of masking, societal expectations and often at least one unintentionally helpful autistic parent (who grew up exactly the same way, but without a diagnosis themselves). The fact that most female incidence of autism tends to be of this type is likely a combination of young girls being more socially adaptable and the social expectations placed on them by their peers, whereas boys (from my anecdotal experience) tend to have smaller, less socially-diverse social groups where the incentive for adaptation can be significantly lower. Equally, of course, I could be completely off-base, 'cos I'm well aware that I don't know enough about it yet, and my pool of research volunteers has been somewhat self-selecting ;) EDIT: I forgot to say...way to go for setting an example, Sam! Correcting yourself publicly when new information comes to light is both very important and very much "not easy", particularly in a relatively closed community.

[@jaidenoliver7165]

I have definitely noticed a 'female autism traits' type of explosion on youtube, and some articles. Which while it can help some more people get diagnosed, it also leads to a lot of other confusion. And I've talked to some people who identify male, but have mainly 'female autism traits' who were starting to question their diagnosis. I just feel like there's a way these videos can be made to bring attention to less typical autism traits, while also mentioning their common occurrence in females. While also making it clear throughout the video that it isn't just a 'female autism trait to watch out for'. This video is a great example! A good discussion on all aspects of it really. (Just another thing that kinda annoys me is these channels by people who were diagnosed 10 years ago and like "Hi I have aspergers and here are 10 aspie traits to look out for". It's fine to call yourself that, particularly if that's how you feel comfortable, but still acknowledge that that term isn't really used anymore and anyone with ASD can show a whole range of traits.)

[@marmadukescarlet7791]

@Jaiden Oliver Asperger’s syndrome is still included in ICD-10. Not all countries use the DSM-V. I’ve been part of large autistic women’s groups and I would say that, while most of those I interacted with seemed to fall into the “female traits” category, there was no shortage of women who seemed to present in the “typically male” fashion. Personally, I’ve never felt like I fit into the feminine mold-not at all submissive, very opinionated and outspoken and interested in (some) subjects usually considered male oriented. Writing this out, it now seems kind of silly to me. So much of gender is socially constructed anyway. I never was a girly girl (although I look like one) but never wanted to be a boy, or felt envious of their opportunities to do certain things, either. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve leaned more towards asexuality and now I wonder how much of my cis gendered past was social masking. I *do* remember when my friends started to get interested in boys, I followed along, because it seemed like that’s what I was supposed to do. I could go on but that’s enough of a rant for now. Cheers Jaiden!

[@lilykatmoon4508]

I couldn’t agree more with your support of her having the courage to openly reflect on past attitudes and knowledge and change after we learn better. Not easy for rigid thinkers and an excellent example to us all as you said. Blessed be.

[@archiecook55]

It's also possible to start out as a "caught in childhood" type but then later in life become a "well-masked and ostensibly functional" individual. That's how it went for me.

[@ganondorfchampin]

" It's actually much closer to "well-masked and ostensibly functional" vs "caught in childhood" You know what, I think it's actually just "adult" vs. "childhood" autistic traits. I was diagnosed as a child, but now I relate much with the "female" traits. I think part of the reason women have the "female" traits is just because they get diagnosed later so they learn to mask before they get diagnosed, and a large part of the reason they get diagnosed later is because they were overlooked due to sexism.

[@jonathanmitchell8698]

I wonder if the disproportionate diagnoses of males is partly due to the tendency for society to view sensitivity and shyness as problematic in males. So if a male child is disturbed by sensory stimuli or if he doesn't engage with social situations, maybe society notices it as a problem that needs to be fixed instead of just classifying it as a difference in personality. I'm not trying to say that men have it worse though. I'm sure women are subjected to as many or more social expectations. But maybe society has just historically viewed femaleness as a sort of disorder on its own so that any differences are just attributed to the person being female. I'm thinking of the hysteria example; even when a woman had an actual medical problem, doctors might have just labeled it as hysteria and viewed it as a "normal" part of being a woman. And maybe a man experiencing the same condition would instead be labeled as weak/unmanly and thus excluded from maleness, preserving the construct of maleness as strength and leadership, but only by excluding men labeled as "weak" and boxing them into a disorder.

[@andrewmalinowski6673]

That's an interesting take, but given the spectrum aspect of autism I've always had the thought that maybe given the "different wiring" of human brains everyone has some level of it. To treat people as "disordered" because of a variation in their brains is like expecting people to be as similar in functioning as a computer's OS, the first time I was introduced to the idea that trans and autism can overlap was actually in one of Jessie Gender's video about autism and neuroatypical characters in Star Trek

[@mathilda6763]

This is interesting. While I don't want to discredit the stress amab autistic children might face and how their "unfitting male" behaviour might get them diagnosed faster...there are tons of very male-presenting men and boys that do not have an autism diagnosis. Neurodivergency is not per se male. Male behaviour (what ever that may be) is not necessarily unwanted in our society. Actually the other way around if you are presenting a little less girly as a woman and show more androgynous or traditionally male in your clothing and speech, you are more likely to be taken seriously in your job. For example ngela Merkel, scientist or not, would have had a much harder time with her political carreer if she'd presented as a very traditionally feminine woman in a flowy dress, flower crown and long braided hair. Afab children get a lot less lenience when it comes to social behaviour. Girls get "corrected" much faster if their behaviour is not geared towards socially fitting in. Because of that I would expect their behaviour much more formed by society from a young age ( but at the same time these traits they are trained for are seen as less good than males, so even if theymanage to achieve to perfectly display "the perfect little girl" to the outside they still lose in the long run...it's kinda messed up tbh) Avoiding body or eye contact, disruptive behaviour in class, (selective) mutism, being a loner, obsessing about certain subjects or just not being very nuturing/caring with their siblings is seen as much more normal neurotypical boy-behaviour , so if a afab child shows this kind of behaviour chance is high that they either forced to learn how to mask prettyfast or fail and get ever changing diagnoses.

[@khalyasongofnerdsandwriter5473]

I hate to say it, but another huge part of females not being properly diagnosed, does start very early. I got lucky, my pediatrician and me were on the same page. We both looked at my middle child, when she was a year old, and went “something isn’t clicking here, something is off and we need to find out what”. At that time, her father was with us (he was abusive and manipulative, so it took my aunt kicking him out of her house and forcing him to Florida, with his mom, to get me free of that) and he kept saying “my cousins were like this and that and they’re fine now. Don’t worry she’s normal. There isn’t anything wrong with her!” And my mom senses were going off so hard, I had actual mental breakdowns. I KNEW something was not okay, I KNEW she had SOMETHING “wrong”. Once he was out of the picture, I went back to her doctor and I said straight out: “Her dad is finally gone, I don’t have to listen to him gaslight me into thinking it’s all okay. I think she has autism and I want you to give me your honest opinion on this and help me with the next steps.” As soon as I finished saying it, he confirmed he felt the same way and gave me the referral for Early Intervention. I got her enrolled in therapeutic services that were delivered, in house, under my ever watchful and protective eye. I saw every session, I helped out, I learned what to do to help her improve in things, such as comprehension on social skills, walking straighter (she would walk into things or fall down the stairs otherwise and I’m sorry - I like my child alive and not seriously harmed, so I felt correcting that wasn’t a bad thing). She had occupational therapy and speech, physical and I always forget the last one... anyway; because *I* had the feeling, because *I* had experience with an autistic MALE cousin, because *I* am so hyper aware of society and what they deem as “normal” and “abnormal”, *I* was able to identify a “problem” and conclude what it COULD be - and bloody well did something about it. If more parents were aware of anything, more people would be getting the help they need, early on. Not to say the parents who aren’t like me, are bad. Just that if the understanding was more president and the information more accessible, in a way Neurotypical people can comprehend, it could help reduce later misdiagnosis in adult and teen-hood. Now, let me just say: my middle child was very disconnected and generally just existed in the world and didn’t seem to be a part of it. That’s what triggered my mom senses. For my youngest child, she presented way way WAY differently than her sister and at first it didn’t click, but by 10 months I was like: “H O L D on... no, that’s not considered normal, I’m getting that vibe again...” And what did I do? “Doctor, I noticed this, that and this and she has this habit - is it normal? Could this be another representation of autism?” And what happened? Referral, diagnosis, treatment in home; with me glaring at the therapist, like I’d murder them, if they did one thing to upset my child or hurt them. (They didn’t like me much, I am way too protective of my children and can be very aggressive once I see my child in discomfort. Which one therapist found out, the hard way... 🙈🙊) If it wasn’t for me and their doctor, my girls would of never been diagnosed. They would of never gotten therapy and at this stage, they would of been struggling a hundred times more, than they naturally are. The point that people all represent differently occurs in all things, all topics and areas of existence. The lack of knowledge in these areas and the way people have to box things neatly, ruins literally everything. Until that changes, my OPINION is, more light shed on Autism in general, to parents, could drastically help the community and humanity in general. Learning to recognize Neurodivergency as early as possible, could frankly help normalize “the outcasted minority of abnormal people” and maybe even help broaden the labels - from “male” and “female” symptoms to “autism” symptoms.

[@ganondorfchampin]

I've always related to this, the extreme female brain theory of autism, lol.

[@rileymcmackin1197]

"maybe society has just historically viewed femaleness as a sort of disorder on its own" ive been thinking this for a while but could never articulate it but I think you are so right with this. its so sad to think but i genuinely believe that this is why women have a hard time getting diagnosed with things like adhd/asd. I also think it contibutes a lot to women being over-diagnosed or misdiagnosed with things like depression and anxiety because i think to men historically they thought that being a women was something inherently to be depressed about (or something like that I'm very bad at putting my thoughts into words sometimes)

[@seejendo3290]

And the threat of eugenics is FAR from gone. It’s part of why I get VERY nervous about genetic research and autism. I think there are definitely things we can get out of it, but it would be soooo easy to start down the very slippery slope of prevention and... worse.

[@gee9099]

So many babies are killed every day just because they are already diagnosed with some sort of "disability". It's a horrible abomination to do this but it keeps happening more and more as prenatal genetic testing grows.

[@andrewmalinowski6673]

@Pablo Moreno Cordón This reminded me of a thought experiment I heard when taking philosophy; "Parents have four children born blind and four born deaf, what do you do with the ninth child?" "Abort them." Congratulations, you just killed Beethoven." Just because there might be some disabled person doesn't mean they can't be useful in some way, I knew someone with Down's Syndrome at my church and he was the nicest person I'd seen

[@Aster_Risk]

This is important to talk about. I am pro abortion in any case where a person feels like they will not be a good parent. Better that than a live child facing abuse or neglect. There are already too many children who have been forced into the world and then abandoned. Unfortunately, many people are not equipped to handle a child with any kind of disability and don't really think about that before trying to have kids. Having kids is just the thing you're supposed to do. I'm an antinatalist and don't like the idea that any children are born since you can't consent to existence. Unfortunately, biology makes this unrealistic, so whatever will cause the least amount of harm to a child is the best option. Autism and many mental illnesses can still offer a person a quality of life that isn't just pain. There are some disorders where a person will know nothing but pain and I think it is monstrous to insist on having that child because that's somehow the moral option. Yes, this whole thing is a slippery slope, but not everything is about seeing someone as lesser. Sometimes, the compassionate choice is to spare someone from existing when their life will be complete misery. Life is not a gift for everyone, and it would be completely selfish to assume that it is.

[@Aster_Risk]

@@andrewmalinowski6673 That person might be useful so we have to allow them to be born. That's just as reductive. That takes away the idea that this person is an individual who has to live their life and might just be an ordinary person.

[@seejendo3290]

@@Aster_Risk couldn’t agree more. ♥️

[@MammaApa]

I think much of the over-representation of non-binary in autistic people comes from the fact that we do not effortlessly fit into current social systems but have to learn them from scratch and through this process rarely just accept things for what they are. We wanna know what and when and WHY (and by extension: how can I make this more effective so that less of my daily energy is spent abiding to it). And gender, being a mostly performative thing, is hardly spared from this scrutiny.

[@LaurArt_UK]

Not sure about 'over-representation'. Suggest there's too many of us being diagnosed? But yes I love questioning the value society places on difference and how that impacts different groups of people. Is gender mostly performative? I think that's the most visible aspect but not necessarily the largest. For me it's about 90% internal, 7% presentation and about 3% performative. But maybe I'm misunderstanding it? I'm still learning all the language around gender identity and it's quite a lot to take in. I feel like performing gender is what I did when I was in the closet :')

[@MammaApa]

​@@LaurArt_UK With over-representation I mean that the percentage of people with autism that identify as non-binary is clearly higher than the neurotypical general populace; statistically higher than the norm. I probably generalised too much about gender being mostly performative. For ME, the only things I have read regarding identity that gave me one of those aha-moments, you know one of those - that's exactly it - was when I read Judith Butler. She defines ANY identity, gender or other, as completely performative, meaning whatever you do enough, you will identify as. The only thing I clearly identify as is autistic, which by that definition makes sense since I "do autism" every day, whether I like it or not. To a lesser extent I guess I also identify as a parent and a musician. I try to raise a child and I make a lot of music. At one point in my life I identified as an alcoholic, because I drank all the time. But man? Woman? As the definition of the words associated with these, masculine and feminine, vary over time and between cultures, I could never find anything that rang true with myself. It just seemed made up. So, I don't identify in that regard. This I would assume would put me under the non-binary umbrella (which is a pretty wide one) but not even that word means all that much to me. I recently stumbled over the term "gender void" which more than non-binary signals "I am not playing this game". That one I like, but it's just the definition of opting out.

[@jigsawpuzzle6789]

This only applies to people who base their sense of self on sexist stereotypes. I’m an autistic woman, that just means I’m an adult human female. I couldn’t care less about “performing gender”. The fact that I don’t fit into societal expectation doesn’t make me “not a woman”. People who claim that this makes them non-binary are following sexist reasoning.

[@MammaApa]

@@jigsawpuzzle6789 I don't think anyone did. No-one but yourself can tell you what you identify as. But to agree with any of the reasoning here I think you will need to be on the side that claim gender is a social construct. And if you do you there is nothing stopping you to identify or claim to identify as anything you like regardless of how you perform, since the identity gained by performing _anything_ cannot be judged other than completely subjective anyway. It's more a question of being honest with yourself.

[@jigsawpuzzle6789]

@@MammaApa To clarify, I don’t “identify” as a woman, the idea that it is possible to “identify” as a woman is incredibly sexist. The idea of “gender”, the social construct, as referred to in this conversation is sex-stereotypes, why would anyone want to create an “identity” based on stereotypes? That’s so regressive. I reject these stereotypes and just use the sex-based definition of woman (adult human female). I don’t believe in the idea of “woman gender identity”/”feeling like a woman”. The same logic applies to the word man. When non-binary people claim that they’re not men/women, they are admitting that they support these sexist stereotypes or they think being a man/woman is a mystical gender feeling.

[@kirbycobain1845]

The intersection between being trans and autistic is a really tough one. In California where I live, trans people can be denied insurance coverage for medical transition if they have an autism diagnosis. Part of the reason I haven't been diagnosed is because I knew I could be denied top surgery with that diagnosis, so I prioritized top surgery. I had a friend in college who was a trans man diagnosed with autism in childhood, and because of that he couldn't get testosterone, top surgery or even a reduction. He couldn't bind either due to other health complications. Because "gender issues" and "confusion" are one of many traits listed under autism in the DSM V, our gender dysphoria is denied and untreated because we supposedly can't have both. It's a MASSIVE problem in the psychology community, and because autism research in women, let alone transgender people being extremely far behind, we have a LONG way to go. And its REALLY frustrating being caught in the middle of it.

[@felixmastropasqua2820]

that's so sad. even IF autism caused his gender "issues", that doesn't make the issues not real!

[@azulizachan7595]

Why is "gender issues" listed as a trait??

[@felixmastropasqua2820]

@@azulizachan7595 i think it's because (and someone talked about this in another comment so you may want to have a read through if youre interested) autistic people may have trouble understanding social constructs like boundaries, how to behave in certain situations, gender roles, etc. they would be less likely to accept these things as fact and would want to know why? why does society expect these things of me and why should i go along with it? there is some truth to this as there is a high proportion of trans and non binary people in the autistic community.

[@bentalkspolitics6659]

I hope you can get a diagnosis one day, and all the best with your transition journey.

[@felixmastropasqua2820]

@Edith Waters absolutely agree, very well said. it's a good point that people generally don't take autistic people seriously. same thing happens with other common traits like sensory sensitivity, people just tell us to get over it as if they either don't understand our brains are wired different or they just don't care. plus, the existence of cis autistic people proves that autism doesn't just cause you to be trans.

[@AnaMuhlethaler]

OMG! I am so happy that someone is talking about Maria Montessori had some eugenics ideas in her book! Because everyone talks only about how amazing she was and when I started reading I start to feel crazy! Like “am I seeing stuff where there isn’t ?”

[@YoSamdySam]

I had that same reaction when I read her books... like... wait what?

[@RoseThePhoenix]

I had no idea this was a thing. (It explains a few really troubling opinions in some of my family, though. Oof.)

[@fionafiona1146]

It's not even surprising with her epigenetic observations and 1910s environment!

[@michaelaschwab3061]

@@YoSamdySam what is this book?

[@darkstarr984]

I wonder if that’s why my mom gets so defensive about people being described as autistic and starts saying how she disagrees with it. She read it and used a lot of the methods as she could with my education.

[@piai2543]

I really appreciated your first video on this topic, but I am even happier with this video! I am nonbinary myself and tend to reduce myself to my female assignment at birth when others do so. Now with you presenting a wider perspective on gender and autism I feel very seen and I am more able to see and validate myself. So thank you! (Sorry for my weird english, I'm not a native speaker)

[@YoSamdySam]

I'm so glad you enjoyed my video(s) and hope that I was able to get it right.

[@thefoggysystem]

Same!! I'm really happy this video exists because it helps break down the idea that my autism presentation makes me in the end, a 'woman'.

[@leandrog2785]

You shouldn't apologize for not being a native english speaker. And your english is very good anyway. Although i don't know what you mean with "when others do so".

[@masonnix9566]

@@YoSamdySam Why do you claim to be autistic when you are not?

[@imaginativebibliophile549]

@@masonnix9566 She is autistic and I am also autistic. Autism is a spectrum, which presents differently in everyone. Some autistic people are nonverbal and cannot speak at all, but have a strong connection with nature and are able to communicate with animals. Autism is not a range of deficits and this neurological difference means that we simply have a different way of perceiving the world. Autism is not necessarily a disability because we are abled in a different way. Some autistic people can speak and may appear neurotypical. However, the person is still autistic because autism is an invisible condition. In society, autism is described as a type of person separate from society, which I believe is completely fine. I don’t see this as a problem as many neurotypical people may see it.

[@ThePhantomQueen87]

I stopped seeing psychologist when i was like 16 because nothing they said fit and they put me on meds for anxiety because my meltdowns then meds for bi polar

[@linaulnes8821]

Its sad they are so unwilling to listen.

[@tonybevan43]

I was misdiagnosed with having a personality disorder when clearly I had Autism.

[@SybilNix]

Seriously - I wasn’t diagnosed but the closest non-autistic diagnoses I saw were like,,, Schizoid personality disorder and schizotypal personality disorder. And I was like..........yeah but no?

[@wallcoconut9634]

Same. I was misdiagnosed with APD. The guy never asked "why?". Such a simple, short question would have told him I didn't fit avoidant personality, if he just bothered to ask why I did things rather than assuming why I did them.

[@88marome]

I think Schizoid personality disorder fits me better than autism. It explains more why I am the way I am.

[@renatatuinenburg9942]

Sam, I'm a mother searching for answers and support for my 15 y.o. daughter. I'm happy to finally have found your channel. Your videos have helped me and her a lot! I see that she has become more aware and happy to know she's not alone. Having a place where she can find her peeps is very comforting. Thank you a lot.

[@elirods2786]

Definitely the "Autism symptoms in girls" video was an eye-opener for me, and a great first step in breaking the cis-male-white-boy stereotype. As everything in life, autism is complex and varied. Thanks for always make us look for more than just the surface, and strive to open the spec to every autistic. Learning and knowledge are always great to make changes happen.

[@lynngrant4023]

"cis" can some one remind me what this term means? Thx!

[@sgordon8123]

@@lynngrant4023 in chemistry two structures can be identical except for the 3d structure. If the structure has two "groups" on the SAME side its known as CIS but opposite sides its known as "trans". Well you know what trans sexuality is... The rest are cis... Basically it's non-trans.

[@genericname8727]

@@lynngrant4023 opposite of transgender. Cis (meaning “same side”) is the opposite prefix to trans (across/beyond/on the other side). So cisgender means you identify as the gender you were assigned at birth.

[@lynngrant4023]

@@genericname8727 - Ah, thx. This helps, I've got a better understanding now. Cheers.

[@lynngrant4023]

@@sgordon8123 - Hmm, a complex issue thx for taking time 2reply.

[@Iron678Maiden]

I think they focus too much on external cues when they should be asking people WHY they are behaving the way they do. Sexism is definitely prevalent

[@anelisamorgan8590]

😥 You aren't kidding!

[@ssokolow]

Funny thing about that extreme male brain nonsense. I'm a cis white male on the spectrum who had a lot of the most characteristic traits in full force (right down to reading computer magazines before I was old enough to be eligible for kindergarten) and I was a *hugely* emotionally sensitive child... as in "I couldn't win a dispute with my younger brother because I'd feel his distress more strongly than he would". Granted, going to high school almost drove me to nervous breakdown and the emotional calluses never went away, but I *did* used to be that sensitive.

[@NotaCatGirll]

race isnt real

[@charliekahn4205]

@@NotaCatGirll But racialization is. We're discussing a developmental disorder which shows up during the formative years, so the way you're treated in early life is going to massively affect how it is expressed.

[@IntegrityMeansAll]

Why do you label yourself “cis white male” and don’t just say you’re a man? just curious, everyone can choose how to call themselves of course. Regarding the other parts of your comment: one doesn’t exclude the other - but I believe that’s what you implied. A lot of men are very emotional that’s also why they do way more of the emotionally charged crimes than women on average - if they can’t control extr. emotions and become viol. That’s why it is indeed nonsense to claim men are not emotional by nature. They’re usually not as sensitive or empathic as women though but that is usually a result of socialization. If you encourage a young child/boy to be sensitive and empathic usually he will become more of both compared to when you encourage a boy to suppress it. At least for neurotypical individuals. But I believe it’s somewhat similar in autistic people maybe. The exception are people who have a severe malignant personality disorder (sometimes! already visible in childhood by how they treat animals etc)

[@ssokolow]

@@IntegrityMeansAll To give context for the upbringing I received and how those who were interacting with me saw me.

[@garyfrancis5015]

I double mask. I'm mask my autism in a shop. And a mask my face because of the thing.

[@Iwasin212]

Lol

[@Aethelhadas]

You dont know how long I've been waiting for this omg

[@MORTEMANIMAyt]

Rona (corona) is the thing ?

[@a-s-greig]

@@MORTEMANIMAyt Yes. Tom Riddle virus.

[@godzillaeyes]

Yup, "hysterical" actually comes from the root "of the womb." Like, removal of the uterus is called a hysterectomy.

[@allebasaiadartse3951]

This is so true, and I wish people could understand that having a diagnosis it's a privilege in women (With exceptions of course).

[@jeandanielodonnncada]

Long before being diagnosed as autistic, I spent my whole life being called "girly." I definitely fit more in with "female autism" stereotypes. I appreciate your time for teaching more nuance.

[@jaidenoliver7165]

I feel like it also doesn't help the point that there isn't a 'girls' or 'boys' autism, where there are youtube channels making various videos specifically about girls. Like one channel in the last few months has "Female Autism Checklist", "9 Autism in Girls Symptoms", "Autism in Girls...", ... Which is great to share and definitely helps to raise awareness, but it doesn't really account for people who aren't girls with those traits. And I've seen some people questioning their autism because they identify as male, but also have majority 'female traits'.

[@Islander185]

Totally agree with you, as a man that wasn't diagnosed until I was 40 and just labeled as shy all my life I don't like how people talk about gendered autism, autism is far more complex then that. The only info I've found that's been helpful in my case has been info about 'girls autism'. I do feel like kinda homeless in the autism community, I don't fit in anywhere.

[@PatrickKellyLoneCoder]

This 💯. We absolutely needed to raise awareness that this isn't an exclusively male disorder, but at the same time, we shouldn't swing the pendulum the other way and have less effected males be missing out on helpful diagnoses. As someone who reads through a lot of the research, I can tell you on the neurological and endocrinological side of things, there's no difference. Any change in presentation across males and females is therefore going to be incredibly minor, and should be de-emphasized.

[@ThatFlamingFroggo]

Yep. I myself don't like how gendered these traits are.

[@michaelaschwab3061]

I majored in psychology as well. Most of autistic people do ironically, because of not just us being humanistic in nature, but also we knew unconsciously, that there was something different about our selves. It is in our nature to problem solve. One thing I believe is that we all share some type of dual brain. This can confuse most people who do not understand our aspergs.

[@michaelaschwab3061]

@@Islander185 We all share some type of dual brain that is why people are getting confused. Read my public reply😁

[@Littlebeth5657]

I've only ever had the ADHD diagnosis but so many people tell me I have a male brain despite being a cis woman. This has given me so much doubt about my validity as a woman. Using gender signifiers for personality traits can be really harmful.

[@IntegrityMeansAll]

Maybe they say that because you’re more logical or not gullible/not manipulated that easily because you analyze people more? Even though a lot of males these days are followers too

[@leanansidhe6332]

being logical isn't male, not being easy to manipulate isn't male. Personality traits aren't male or female. Educate yourself

[@emilypierce1736]

Your autism in girls video is what made me realize I was autistic, that was a long time ago. When talking about autism to other people, I used to mention "autism presentation in females", at one point a male friend told me he related to some of the traits that I was calling feminine autistic traits. and that's when I realized it didn't sit right with me to call those traits feminine. I absolutely love that you created this video as an update, it really articulates the problem with autism and gender. I think keeping your original video up is great as well, because it helped me get diagnosed and I can only imagine how many others it helped! As always, I love your content :)

[@passaggioalivello]

This channel is gold. Thank you, it's very helpful.

[@YoSamdySam]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@TheRealHatsune]

“When I did my psych degree 15 years ago...” I’m sorry, what?! How old are you?! I thought you were 25

[@yolsevmoon9381]

I thought she 34 too... thinking the same

[@andreagriffiths3512]

I think it’s an autistic trait that we look younger than we actually are.

[@walther7147]

@@andreagriffiths3512 it is!

[@FaerieElethia]

@@andreagriffiths3512 strange! When I was 14 people thought I was 21. Now I’m 21 and people think I’m 14. Idk wtf is going on lol

[@LangkeeLongkee]

@@FaerieElethia same but I’m 18

[@Elena-zq8ml]

This was excellent, thank you. Also, the complete harmony of the color palette made my eyes very happy.

[@Pouquiloury]

Me too !!!

[@rainewhispers4890]

I really appreciate this video. As a transmasculine/nonbinary person, seeing myself relate so heavily to "female autism" caused a lot of dysphoria.

[@meowman69420]

agh same lmao

[@MORTEMANIMAyt]

I sometimes feel like dressing like a girl but most of the time I'm more of a boy I think I can relate more to male autism

[@aleksanderweedman8116]

I feel like it is exactly what should be expected if someone was raised in female type of way

[@kittycraft1012]

Don’t worry! It shouldn’t really be called “female autism” it’s just inattentive type of autism which is more common In afab’s, which led to it being labeled as “female” . amab’s can have it aswell but it’s just more common in afab’s

[@MORTEMANIMAyt]

@@kittycraft1012 male and female characteristics could both be used to diagnose a person if both male and female characteristics are used then the diagnosis would be all inclusive for people with either male or female autism

[@purplephoenix4969]

"Done is better than perfect." I need to plaster this all over my house.

[@SarcasticShrubbery]

I love this! The way I can make sense of this concept of "gendered autism" now is to think that women are socialised so differently that our autism tends to look different to an outside observer, the same way that female behaviour in general tends to look different from male due to nurture and societal expectations. As long as that is the case, I think that's important to recognise, especially if that leads to more women being diagnosed. I'm a woman diagnosed age 34 and it's exactly those problematic "10 female autistic traits" videos led to me seeking a diagnosis which has been a wonderful thing in my life. At the same time, the binary gender stereotyping always felt a bit uncomfortable. I am cis but relatively indifferent to my gender and I've never felt particularly "girly" or feminine and I've always thought gender stereotyping is rubbish in general, so I love that you're talking about this and I totally agree that the mental health field needs an overhaul!

[@gocelotspice5766]

I agree so much!!

[@Birdsong-Annalee]

Brava! Thank you for your perspective on incorrect assumptions in the field of Psychology that need a thorough reorganization. Well said!

[@beaustorm-cloud8057]

I am so glad that I found your channel. Back last year, I had contacted a therapist who specialized in diagnosing Autism. She refused to test me for Autism because of mental health conditions that I have and said that the traits that were deemed as Autistic were because of those conditions. I decided to find a local Clinical Psychologist who tested me, and low and beholds, I am Autistic. I just received my diagnosis on April 29th. Because of your channel, I kept trying. Thank you. I'm also Transgender Genderqueer, Non-binary AFAB.

[@YoSamdySam]

Congratulations and well done for persevering!

[@wreckitremy]

I will always respect people who can admit when they need to correct their thinking. I'm so happy to have people who love to continue to grow, in this community.

[@ZoyaStreet]

Sorry, this is not relevant, but I LOVE this new paint colour

[@azlizzie]

I was just noticing it when I scrolled past your comment. Such a beautiful coral shade.

[@antler8019]

i don't see how this is not relevant. especially how it could be Less relevant than a paint color, however lovely.

[@radarr4941]

Was thinking the same thing during the video! It's such a calming shade.

[@ZoyaStreet]

@@antler8019 Ah, I should have been more clear in my phrasing. I meant to say "Sorry for making an off-topic comment, but I LOVE this new paint colour".

[@antler8019]

@@ZoyaStreet ahhh!!! lol. i totally misread that!

[@amandagraven6195]

"We don't raise children in a vacuum... literally or figuratively" 😂

[@bexo3106]

I know, right?! I was actually picturing a child inside a vacuum cleaner when she said that, and then I totally cracked up when she said "literally or figuratively" because I felt like my autism was SEEN!

[@MyaRose042]

Thank you so much for this. I've reached out to other KZbin creators who are still pushing this binary form of autism. THERE IS JUST AUTISM, AUTISM IS NOT GENDERED. Sorry for the caps. I'm a trans woman with friends who are nonbinary and other transgender people, who all are confused when autism is explained in a binary sense. Again thank for bringing up the overwhelming link with autism and the lgdtqia+. ❤️❤️🥰 All this makes my heart happy.

[@ellenm9860]

Obviously autism isn’t gendered but at the same time the way we are treated as we grow up has an impact on the way we show our autistic traits and people who are seen as girls are treated differently to people who are seen as boys

[@black-nails]

​@@ellenm9860 yet it's not a binary, things can depend on where you live, your character, the way you show traits etc

[@black-nails]

​@@ellenm9860 ofc people will get treated differently when they even got different traits

[@ellenm9860]

@@black-nails patriarchy is everywhere though lol

[@black-nails]

@@ellenm9860 patriarchy affects all people differently & it's only one part of the puzzle. There's a lot of things that goes into how you show your traits, like were they living in ableist community (some families, especially poor/ immigrants have very bad tolerance towards any sign of disabilities), were they black, if they were queer etc. All of these things can force you to mask harder no matter your gender or perceived sex. Living in "similar" culture doesn't mean it will result in the same impact.

[@autie_kniggit]

You have helped me so much last year. I was diagnosed last August with ASD level 1 and OCD. Your last video you speak of or more so the one you spoke on your diagnose. I felt heard, loved, and cried with joy of understanding myself better. Thank you.

[@cnscaevola]

I always thought that the different presentation had to do with cultural / societal tendencies. I feel very comfortable around other autistics regardless of gender, as regardless of presentation, there’s an underlying foundation of ‘rightness’ to me. So, I think using what we considered the ‘female’ presentation as something more like a larger part of the autistic patchwork, we can be more inclusive while not throwing out the differing presentations. It would also be nice to see common autism symptoms from outside the western world. People are complicated and confusing. 😝

[@charliekahn4205]

The most telling sign of autism I've seen, which is present in an overwhelming majority of cases, is a disillusionment with societal norms, and the belief that they could be changed for the better, and in many cases a willingness to lead by example in rejecting a few of these norms. These could be linguistic norms, gender roles, public etiquette, or societal power structures. This explains Tumblr, Marx, Silicon Valley, Richard Stallman, Louis XIV, and Robespierre, among others.

[@CristalianaIvor]

@@charliekahn4205 we are not truly disabled, they are just scared of us /j /s

[@mementomori1926]

THANK YOU!!! as a trans person always having to look up "female autism traits" made me very uncomfortable, i really hope this stops:/

[@LangkeeLongkee]

Would calling it AFAB Autistic traits make you feel better or is that bad too? Genuine question.

[@mementomori1926]

@@LangkeeLongkee it is still pretty uncomfy for me but its a bit better

[@LangkeeLongkee]

@@mementomori1926 okay i see. Well i forgot to mentions "more common for". I naturally assumed it wasnt like a required thing yanno? So would that distinction help? Like these symptoms tend to present more in AFAB people but anyone can experience any symptom? I hope Im not being rude

[@mementomori1926]

@@LangkeeLongkee no worries ur not being rude!!saying some traits are more common on afab people is ok, personally its still kind of weird but i see why is helpful sometimes:)

[@izzyp9096]

I'm autistic and recently realized I'm transgender, so to hear you talk so candidly about this is very much appreciated!

[@NatureLover-pj2qe]

I’m also autistic and recently discovered that I’m non-binary.

[@MORTEMANIMAyt]

Keep being yourself I'm proud of ya 😉👍🏻

[@arxsaur]

also autistic here! i recently found out i was trans too :D

[@alephnulI]

Yup, I'm a trans man who basically has what's called the "female presentation". =D TBH, that's never actually bothered me, specially since I know cis men who have this presentation as well. But I agree with you. I think with time it would be more helpful to simply see them as different traits, which can also come mixed, I've seen them mixed in people before. Over time, with more understanding, I think there should be more normalization of all these traits inside a spectrum.

[@tonyfeld5403]

Shy sensitive masks? Cold tactless logical? It depends what mood I'm in hehe! I feel better after that video because being white male cis and presenting supposedly like a female felt weird because I felt maybe I was appropriating something. I even felt as a child and adolescent that I was born in the wrong body, but it was nothing to do with gender, I think it was a variation on the sensation of "being an alien". It would be nice to have a non-gendered way of putting one's characteristics on the spectrum and that theme was something I really identified with in the video.

[@kikitauer]

I am a cis woman (well maybe slightly on an agender scale) and I have mostly "male" traits except I mask heavily. But I never felt less of a woman because of it. I think traits by themselves in general don't really have gender qualities, just what we project into them. So I absolutely agree 😄

[@RoseThePhoenix]

I was dating someone who I hadn't talked to about my likely autism, and he said something about a lot of men being "too autistic" for him to easily talk to. Short version, we aren't dating anymore.

[@honeywater4564]

I’m sorry you went through that :,(

[@cyohe8643]

*hugs*

[@AllyCat0909]

Beautifully said, I really appreciate that you continue to grow with your research and share it with us. Thank you for your honesty and transparency with this subject.

[@sunflowertripp5401]

Can ppl with autism have a hard time understanding what it is? Like I know my experiences such as with hyper empathy, stimming, hyper focusing, issues with certain noises, etc but in my head it’s hard to completely understand because it’s such a broad spectrum. Idk can we mask to ourselves?

[@YaGotdamBoi]

I love this video so much, thank you for sharing your thoughts about all of this! I’m nonbinary, and I’m here like “I get to exist, yea!” any time creators acknowledge that trans and nonbinary people are also affected groups in x community. I really appreciate that, it’s a nice feeling, not having to just kinda follow along with cisgender women as an afterthought, because I was socialized in the same way as them and therefore will (seemingly) always be viewed as one of them by medical professionals. I’m only self-diagnosed at the moment only because within the last month did I find all these awesome autistic creators and realize their stories are just like mine, and it’s the thing that makes sense to explain how my brain works. I really do want an official assessment, but in the US, it really depends on where you live whether you have ANY access to decent healthcare, let alone decent mental health care, and I live in a very poor state. So part of me is very worried that if I manage to secure an assessment nearby, I’ll be assessed only against outdated and stereotypical male presentations and therefore will end up being medically gaslit yet again. My special interests were never stereotypically female (muscle cars, fighter jets, musculoskeletal anatomy, theoretical astrophysics, not things that should ever be gendered or restricted to certain kinds of people to be naturally inclined toward and denied to others), and I do have a very rational, logical, systematizing type of processing everything (emotions, mine and others; information, etc.). So who knows. Maybe my saving feature will be that I definitely struggle to have eye contact and haven’t ever had a relationship, maybe that’ll be stereotypical enough, lmao. Anyway, spilled my life story there, didn’t I? (Slightly bemused eye roll.) Love the video, thank you for sharing. It really does help, that best of an imposter syndrome likes to pop up when I hear only about cisgender stereotypes that I don’t perfectly fit into in terms of autistic presentations-but really, does ever cisgender person fit into them perfectly, anyway? Probably not very often, or not without ignoring some core part of themself.

[@rachelfine2181]

The best KZbinr collabs are the ones that involve coordinating topics AND matching outfits

[@1975ew]

I don’t usually comment publicly, but as someone who’s working towards a diagnosis, as well as being trans, I am so grateful for you and this video. You’re wise and I truly appreciate you

[@SaaraSofia94]

The visual stimming is on point in this video. Oh the colors... two of my own favorites. Your clothes match your bed and your bed to the rest of the room. I'm so happy about it! And thank you for the video also

[@melaniemills3733]

Thank you Sam! This is exactly the conversations we need to be having!! Your early videos helped me seek a diagnosis for myself & while I recognised many of the "female traits" in myself, I also had many of the "male traits". My 9yo daughter and myself are both very cis-gendered "girly-girls", however we both have very logical, mathematical brains, we are truly mixed when it comes to the spectrum and I know many others like us!! I also agree that psychology is broken in many ways & psychologists should actually take a leaf out of doctors books and start to learn to specialise and therefore only treat their recognised specialty: you go to a GP for a referral to a specialist - if you have a broken leg, you wouldn't get a referral to a gynaecologist... Psychology needs to be the same!

[@dawn3737]

Thank you for continuing to learn and grow. I have two children who show "female autism" traits; one male, one female. The struggle is real.

[@zahra71908]

"done is better than perfect" I needed that! Wow, thank you

[@4thanonymousperson]

As a nonbinary autistic person I wanted to say thank you so much for this video.

[@TheBubbleob]

Thanks for doing a review of previous discussions Sam, thoroughly agree with the non-gendered mindset about it. Me, my wife, and both of our kids are Autistic (one girl and one boy child) and the spectrum of traits amongst the four of us are wildly different, and all four of us show traits from BOTH sides of that "gendered" diagnostic mindset. Great discussion!

[@zahra71908]

"done is better than perfect" wow, thank you I'll try to live by that!

[@lilh9984]

Thank you for all you do for the community with these videos. And thank you for caring enough to correct your previous assumptions 🌻💜

[@Pollllz]

Just wanted to say huge thanks for creating this much needed video. Found you a while ago whilst searching for content specifically about autistic traits in girls when my daughter was being referred for assessment. She was subsequently diagnosed with both ASD and ADHD at age 10 (she’s now almost 12 so just in the nick of time 😅 ) and she’s pretty high on the spectrum, so it wasn’t entirely unexpected. As her mum, and also someone who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, I’m now starting to turn the autism spotlight towards myself, simply because of what I’ve learned about autism in girls and women, thanks in part to your content. Particularly the prevalence of masking. I have close female friends in their 50’s who are autistic who tell me they believe they’ve masked their entire lives. I haven’t reached the assessment stage yet, but I (and my partner) strongly suspect I have ASD traits. I’ve gone down Samantha Craft’s list and it’s a big list of ticks for me, so an ASD assessment may be on the cards at some point. Thanks again for your brilliant content x

[@wynnewhitten-holmes5090]

I'm gay engaged and that line about ‘you can't be autistic because you're married’ made me laugh. I am exploring my own possible autism and I confess, that stereotype has been part of my internal resistance to looking into this.

[@victoriasova7547]

Thank you so much for informing people about autism in girls I was undiagnosed autistic in high school and was just diagnosed at 20. I spent my entire life being told I was crazy and thinking something was deeply wrong with me. When I found your channel I realized I was just autistic. Thank you for helping me get the help I need and be heard for the first time in my life.

[@lilykatmoon4508]

I’m in the process of obtaining my diagnosis, I thought I’d receive pushback from friends, family, and doctors but it’s been the opposite. The fact that I had the courage, at the age of 49, to broach the subject with myself let alone others is because I found your channel and Aspie on the Inside’s channel. Your work is life changing, literally, to me. I really loved this video and thought you were wonderfully coherent. Thank you for sharing your journey.

[@mic6074]

I found an old first aid book that directed you to slap a hysterical woman twice. >.>

[@izzy-bp6vw]

i’m-

[@MsLPSFOREVER]

I honestly need someone to slap me just so I can wake up 😂

[@craigcarter400]

It probably was racist as well.

[@Leena79]

I was diagnosed last year, after I saw your video (and, to be fair, quite a few others) about autism, and asked to get tested. I was initially diagnosed with social anxiety, unspecified personality disorder and panic disorder 20 years ago, but things finally clicked for me with this diagnosis. I remember doing autism tests back in the day on my own, but I took the questions (which were directed at boys) quite literally, and since I didn't play with miniature trains or have phenomenal mathematical talent, I figured, my life-long sense of being an alien was just because of my anxiety - when in fact, as I've now understood, my anxiety is caused by the fact that I don't see the world quite like the others. I'd love to see you do a video on the link between ASD and being gender non-conforming. I've heard about this before, and it's something I'd love to learn more about. I'm female, but I've never felt quite womanly enough to call myself that, so although I don't quite label mysel as nonbinary, I'm kinda in between that and woman. I didn't give this much thought before my ASD diagnosis, because I assumed it was all to do with my anxiety, but I really don't like calling myself a woman.

[@celianunn2070]

This is my first time hearing about this and I'm intrigued. My younger brother was diagnosed with Aspergers when he was a kid. I was technically diagnosed with so many different things that my child mind picked the things I was most familiar with (ADD, PTSD, anxiety and depression) and ran with them. But honestly, even with those I always felt "off". Like there was more but I couldnt put my finger on it. It started when I was a child but was old enough to start noticing and questioning things, like why I could understand my brother but no one else could even before he could talk, and why I felt differently about things than other people in my age group. Once my brother was diagnosed I started getting very interested in mental stuff like this. Thank you for introducing me to something new, now I'm off to do more research!

[@mm1ka]

i love the colors in the background so much, the way that coral pink matches the moss green??? so beautiful

[@cfjohnson7369]

I am happy that you had the nerve to do this video. You always give me something to think about.

[@wackisjack]

thank you for making this video! i’ve been questioning if i’m on the autism spectrum and i happen to be a transmasc individual. that fact that i was socialized “as a girl” growing up had a big impact on how my symptoms present themselves and how good i’ve gotten at masking my symptoms and essentially pretending that i was neurotypical. its definitely been interesting to both explore my gender identity further and see how my autistic traits have sort of “come out” the more comfortable i’ve gotten in my gender identity. society really does put a lot of pressure on feminine presenting neurodivergent folks to hide their symptoms, so as i’ve started presenting more masculine and become more comfortable in my own body through my transition i’ve sort of gotten to experience how cisgender males with neurodivergent traits are treated. the difference is astonishing and absolutely unacceptable.

[@jessicatownsend3069]

Thanks for staying humble and embracing progress. I appreciate your channel so much! And thanks for the mention of Maria Montessori and eugenics. I had no idea! 😬 but as a mom to toddler/preschool kids, I also appreciate the Montessori style.

[@maranutt775]

As an AFAB early 20 year old Enby that is self diagnosed (with the help of all your videos may I add!), this video was so pure, good and amazing. Thank-you so much! Watching all the 'autism in girls' videos is something that I've had to resign myself to doing so that I can understand the 'full spectrum' of autism, but it is extremely dysphoric for me. Having this video to fall back on, especially to be able to show my parents when I come out to them as an autistic Enby, is really really helpful, and has no end in helping. Anyway, thank-you, and all the luck to you in your pregnancy!

[@DarthGohma]

Trans viewer here. Subscribed to you about a month ago when I started suspecting I may be autistic. Just wanted to say I appreciate this upload. ^_^

[@Shaun126]

I found out I was autistic because of your channel . I am AFAB and present female but I’ve never really thought myself as a gender at all and have wished to present myself differently but I’m just comfortable with what I’m used to at this point. I’ve always said since I was young I would end up being the crazy old lady with multi colored hair that walks around in the craziest outfits but it’s always been more comfortable to just blend in.

[@user-lenabeana]

It seems I will never stop seeing ACAB before I have to read again.

[@crystalshadesoflightworker]

I’m so glad you addressed this issue. I’m a late diagnosed CIS woman & only diagnosed for almost a year now (totally oblivious to my own Autistic traits at all, apart from feeling very different all my life) but I have become so aware of the many other Autistics that are not included in non stereotypical awareness. In my experience the extreme male brain theory (or CIS white boy) is still very real & held as gospel by many of my own health care providers, unfortunately, despite my diagnosis. They simply do not believe it. It is wonderful that platforms that are reaching more of the public are raising awareness of this very real issue. LGBTQIA+ & POC (people of color) face so much difficulty being seen for reasons that would actually help them to understand themselves & be seen for their genuine gifts & struggles. I’m glad that the awareness of females is growing & beginning to be seen, often thanks to those hard working advocates, many of which are late diagnosed and have faced difficulties that should not have to be faced from the medical community & their misunderstandings of the spectrum of mental health & NeuroDiversity & it’s various presentations. Again, I appreciate this clarification & have personally had immense compassion for the struggles of lesser known Autistic folk since learning about my own. Raising awareness is key to reducing widespread ignorance & increasing understanding & a greater sense of compassion for all.

[@MartKart8]

I saw a video from Paul, most where people just tired of sociality and let their Autism show when they got older.

[@vip3re]

Sorry for being dumb, but who's Paul?

[@MartKart8]

@@vip3re Paul creates content called Asperger's on the inside

[@texasseastar]

I saw one of his videos first, then I found Sam and Purple Ella and a couple of others. In true ASD fashion, I started watching every video and taking every quiz. It was crazy to me how much I identified with what Paul was saying, which then led me to to the suggestions on others. I'm in my 50's and just now starting to understand that I may be on the spectrum. Testing for it wasn't even a thing when I was in school. I've masked my "weird" behaviors my entire life and yes, now in my 50's I'm exhausted from "behaving normal" (socially acceptable) all the time, and I find that I just don't have the bandwidth to do it anymore. There's a great line in the film "The Family Stone" that says "let your freak flag fly". That's me these days. All the stress from the pandemic has me feeling a certain kind of way about continuing the facade of normality. I'm done. It is what it is and I'm just going to be me.

[@Manfinder666]

That is some spot on colour co-ordination between your outfit and the room around you.

[@lynngrant4023]

😀

[@awaredeshmukh3202]

Yeah that's pretty dang close to my favorite color combination

[@Wildpaw0]

Thank you for this update! As someone who is non-binary but was assigned female I certainly found your original video very helpful (I think was the first video of yours I watched) but there was always this nagging feeling of invalidation in my mind whenever I see it or videos similar to it on the matter. I agree we should definitely move our language and understanding instead to "less common" or "less talked about" autistic traits

[@fibs9125]

I got my diagnosis last year and I'm turning 30 soon. Your videos make me feel so good, because I can relate to so much you say and describe!

[@pluviophile._.j]

Ohhh, *THANK YOU* for this! It's something I've been thinking about a lot lately.

[@mireillepoirier9688]

I love the part you said about autism being a spectrum. I originally researched autism because a student of mine was diagnosed and I wanted more information to help her in the classroom. What I ended up doing was recognizing myself in a lot of traits I didn’t realize were autism traits. It always made me uncomfortable - the labels, male and female traits. I’m glad you are being more inclusive of trans and non binary people! As always, great video. Thank you!

[@beingilluminous2401]

I love this reflection and expansion of these concepts! I've noticed in the collectives I connect to that autism is being understood to be a "human" condition more and more. I *love* how new communities (in reddit there is an "autisminwomen" subreddit) are a good "way point" for many of us who resonate in with that term due to the gender socialization of decades. And that space/this video, allows us to learn about ourselves and each other, to help build towards that consensus of understanding about the condition itself and how we, as people on the spectrum, process the world. I have been sharing this video to my favorite groups because I really feel its a wonderful example of the permission to change our opinions/minds once new evidence is presented. Thank you for creations!

[@Ricketik65]

Thank you for another very good and nuanced video. Since my diagnosis, five years ago, I have never thought that men would only have "male" autistic traits and women only "female" ones, because I noticed traits from both "sides" in myself, but it is nice to hear it from someone I consider knowledgeable on the subject.

[@stellazovak]

I'm not even yet sure I'm autistic, but everything you've said are the things that I've been thinking intensely about. Thank you so much for doing this.

[@melc7197]

Love this! Absolutely fascinating, thank you. Very much reflecting my own autistic journey - first learning about autism in girls, getting diagnosed as an adult, learning about and rejecting the idea of extreme male brain, then realising that these so called female traits of autism occur across all genders. It's great that people are realising autism isn't just a male thing and as a result more women are finally finding clarity - but it's also important that things don't shift to just two gendered options, with a list of girl traits and a list of boy traits. They're all autistic traits and any person could have any combination of those traits. When we start gendering these things it just creates more potential for misdiagnosis and it doesn't help anyone.

[@chrislidel5064]

Thank you for touching on this. I run a support group for Neurodivergent employee's at my work and was diagnosed with Autism last year. I learned about my Autism through videos and papers about "female" Autism. I'm a fantastic masker and I do it subconsciously at this point but am certainly not female. Even when I learned I was Autistic I felt othered in an othered community. Now that I've connected with the community I know that's just wrong but when I try to help men/nonbinary/trans people understand their Autism I have to show them gendered material and talk them through it. I finally have made my own slide deck and am doing my own webinar for our company to explain it.

[@marystuart933]

Interesting! Your old video (and/or similar ones) have been in my recommendations forever, and I've never clicked it, because of this. I am an adult female diagnosed with autism in childhood. My "challenging" behaviour was kinda hard to miss for anyone. I'm aware that this has given me a very benificial starting position to adult life, but it has it's own challenges en hearing things like "girls are underdiagnosed because they tend to be better behaved", still gives me a pang in my heart. So, thanks for this!

[@alexrose20]

SUCH A GREAT VIDEO- so important that doctors begin taking this approach of a broader understanding of autism

[@KrysBowbrick]

Hi Sam, I love your videos, how is the pregnancy going?

[@YoSamdySam]

It's going smoothly, although I am looking forward to July! 😄 Pregnancy and me don't get on too well

[@six-gun]

i was going to ask whether she was pregnant as she has typical pregnancy clothes on and has put on a few pounds in a short time.

[@KrysBowbrick]

@@YoSamdySam why July? Is that when child number 2 is due?

[@JesseDylanMusic]

This really helped me. Since being diagnosed, I'm wrestling with gender. I've been thought of as gay or feminine all my life; what people didn't know all my life is that I'm Autistic. So, as usual, I am presenting in a "female" sort of way. I think I've misconstrued this over the years, saying I relate better with women. I've never felt female, even as I've been repulsed by masculinity at times. Maybe I will suddenly decide I am non-binary, but so far, the best way I've been able to conceptualize it is thinking of myself as demi-gendered and demi-sexual. All that said, so much (or maybe all) of my struggle isn't so much with gender, or my gender, but rather with society's expectations and commentary on me, my behavior, my gender. No wonder. It's also pretty absurd to try to "gender" brains, or at least it seems that way to me at first blush. It's a feedback loop where we are damaged by the gender dichotomy but also reinforce it, sometimes when trying to do the opposite.

[@lullustration5775]

That "Done is better than perfect" quote is going on my wall

[@LoonyMoonMaiden]

Thank you, this is so well thought out and so true. You’ve made sense of my own thoughts about this subject. Excellent video!

[@mannuzan8791]

Awesome video, as always!! Also, I'd love to know what you think of "special abilities" ( in the sense of "geniuses" in school ) because that's what my therapist told me she thinks I have, but I have no idea if that's actually a synonym of autism or something like that. Love your channel, thanks for everything!!

[@eleonore-8969]

That autism in girls video kind of saved my life and therefore will have a special place in my heart for ever lol😂 But, I definitely understand the issue with presenting it that way and the exclusion that comes with it. So it's good you cleared that up now. This was a very interesting video and well explained even though there was a lot to unfold. And the colors were so pleasant to watch🙂

[@trinad7822]

The man who diagnosed me always shares your posts in our autism group on Facebook. It's how I found your content. And you've really helped me recognize things about myself I had no idea were related to being autistic. Especially only finding out a year ago lol. Thanks for sharing 😊

[@alisonaffliction]

Best video yet!! Thank you so much for posting this, I know it can be vulnerable to admit change.

[@ArtieCarden]

thank you for coming back to this! im nonbinary and pretty sure im autistic!!

[@DieezahArts]

I still haven't been diagnosed but by now there's little doubt as to whether or not I might be on the autistic spectrum. As a 40+ adult with children who are currently being investigated on suspicion of autism (and the road to getting a diagnosis is a long one in the French system), the amount of information I gathered on the subject over the past 3 years (when my youngest's behavior at school finally raised enough concerns insteas of eyebrows to get us approved for the children's diagnosis and psychological assessment program) brought me back to each instance of my life when I was punished or ostracized instead of getting the help I obviously needed just because no one suspected anything. And yes, even in spaces where the population is predominantly mixed/of African descent, because of colonialism, psychiatry and psychology are still being taught within a eurocentric worldview frame so too often, important factors like race, culture and widely accepted spiritual beliefs different from those held by white society are being ignored when we reach out to these professionals for help.

[@athybaby4918]

Diagnosed at 28 thanks to you! You’re heaven sent. THANK YOU!

[@abelinhaTKM]

You did an excellent job with this video. Thank you so much! I was afab, but never actually masked, maybe just trying to stim more discreetly in public as I got older, but failing. I had obvious traits growing up and was still only diagnosed at 20 years old. Before that I was just labeled a lot of bad things and now I don’t have the independence I wish I had. You are amazing, Samdy Sam!

[@sable4492]

I can agree. My sister has more "boys traits" but me I have more "female traits" we need to just look at it like you said a spectrum. There are just different things for diff people

[@jeckie5355]

I’m glad you made this video you’re cool. I’m about to visit a specialist for my official diagnosis. I was born with an intersex condition and women with my condition were found to have autism like 20% more than the general population in a study. We present with more male characteristics.

[@LogoFreak93]

I'm a girl with autism and I noticed I can't often relate to what most people think of as the standard checklist of traits, I'm extroverted, conversational, assertive, and unfortunately can't mask. I may not be the target demographic because I'm considered to be moderate-severe (but I don't fit the "severe autism" stereotypes either because I am high-functioning and very verbal), I enjoy talking about my interests so much that my lack of saliva control becomes an issue (I sometimes drool when talking, but I am always enjoying talking so much that I can't be bothered to swallow unless it makes it impossible for me to say words). However, despite having more so-called "male" traits I'm a girly girl who loves wearing skirts and dresses (despite keeping her hair short). I have been told that my outfit in fall, winter, and early spring resembles that of an old-fashioned schoolteacher which I think is cool because teachers are cool, very hard working. I also enjoy talking about my various interests but unfortunately did not recognize that my fascination was not always reciprocated.

[@ZoeMagnes]

I think it's wonderful to be yourself however you feel like being. It doesn't matter if other people think it's masculine or a feminine because those are just words.

[@LogoFreak93]

@@ZoeMagnes Yeah, like my one aunt always told me when I was growing up "labels are for soup cans" and she always encouraged me to be myself while helping me navigate the world. I always asked her for advice and she usually had good advice. She was like a big sister to me but she moved away about 15 years ago and I only see her once every other year nowadays. I'm glad for e-mail so I can sort of keep in touch with her.

[@kainess7090]

The biggest reason I'm reluctant to try and get diagnosed is because I'm not necessarily shy I'm more awkward. Like I'm super loud and ill literally dance in public but ask me to talk to a stranger and ill cry. Like ugh I hate stereotypes