1 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to it could happen here. I'm Garrison. With me 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 1: today is Chris, and today we'll be talking about something 3 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: that I was wanting to do for Pride Month but 4 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: time kind of got away from me. But we'll be 5 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: talking with Noah Adams, who does research into the kind 6 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: of crossover between autism and being trans. I know we've 7 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: we've briefly mentioned some like rhetoric around this on our 8 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 1: War on Trans People series episodes, and Noah was kind 9 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: enough to reach out to me to be willing to 10 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 1: discuss this more in depth. Of greetings, Hello, thank you. 11 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,279 Speaker 1: It's it's always Pride Months somewhere in the summer. So 12 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: that's true. That's true. Um So, I guess let's I 13 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: first want to kind of hear how you how you 14 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: personally kind of got into this field of research, and 15 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: then maybe kind of clarify what what exactly your your 16 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: field of research is? Sure, UM, well, I guess where 17 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: do you start? I mean, I'm I'm a trans person 18 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: and I'm also autistic, so it's sort of a natural 19 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 1: crossover for me. UM. I got started in trans research, 20 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: uh or transactivism doing suicidality work. UM in such a 21 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 1: long time ago now, but in um, I think two 22 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 1: thousand and six, myself and my best friend cycled across 23 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: Canada to bring awareness for trans suicidality. Um and in 24 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:39,119 Speaker 1: memorandum of a person, a friend who who committed suicide. UM. 25 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: So you know, we went to a lot of different 26 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: communities in Canada, including Saskatoon, did talks about you know, 27 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: did talks with local trans communities about suicide ality prevention stuff. 28 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: Uh and met a lot of great people. Um. And 29 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: then I came back and I did my Master of 30 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: Social work also on trans suicide new research, kind of 31 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: looking at how there's a lot of different research out 32 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: there and who knows, you know, there's a lot of 33 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: different rates that are given all high and and where 34 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: are we supposed to you know, fall on that? Um. 35 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: And then I finished that and I was kind of 36 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: tired of doing suicidality work. Yeah, speaking a little bit, 37 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: a little bit exhausting, um and kind of have a 38 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: I have a much darker sense of humor than I 39 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 1: used to. Yeah. UM. So a friend I was kind 40 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: of drifting into autism work and a friend who uh 41 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: Jake Pine, who who's a professor now at your university, UM, 42 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 1: suggested I kind of move into that area. And and 43 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: here I am so with the kind of crossover between 44 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: being trends and have and and uh, I guess I'm 45 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: not the best I don't I don't know, I consciously 46 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: don't kind of know all the what the most appropriate 47 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 1: languages would you say that you would you prefer to 48 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: say that you like have autism or you are artistic? Um? 49 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: I mean I think it's pretty universal in the autism 50 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: community to uh talk about identity first language. So yeah, exactly, 51 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:18,360 Speaker 1: autism kind of leads and and that's yeah, I mean, 52 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: I guess i'd say I'm autistic. Most people don't say 53 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 1: person with autism. Yeah. Yeah, So with that, how have 54 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: you kind of what what initially got you to you know, 55 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: because we see a lot of propaganda and stuff trying 56 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: to almost like take away people's agency around both being 57 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: trans and and and um and with and how and 58 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: being autistic. Right, there's a lot of a lot of 59 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: propaganda there, especially from the Turfs in the UK really 60 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 1: started this out and really accelerated on this point. Um. 61 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: And I mean we're not there's a whole bunch of 62 00:03:55,680 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: basically autism exterminationist groups out there. Um, A whole whole 63 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: bunch of other kind of problems around this. How when 64 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: when these kind of crossovers start happening, where did you 65 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: kind of what what kind of prompted you to see 66 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: this and be like, Hey, here's this thing that needs 67 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: to be researched, and here's how I'm going to go 68 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: about it. Because you see a lot of people talk 69 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: about this thing, but it's always generally to like attack 70 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: trans people, um or attack autistic people. I mean, you 71 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,159 Speaker 1: know there's a lot there. I mean I would say, 72 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: you know, my sort of seedling of interest is is 73 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 1: I just really don't like injustice. I really. I mean 74 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:37,679 Speaker 1: that's such a broad thing to say, but I really, 75 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: you know, injustice against people for the sake of who 76 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 1: they are really just kind of pisces me off. Um. 77 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 1: And you know, I mean, when you pick a research topic, 78 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 1: you kind of pick something that you're willing to spend 79 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: hours and hours and hours in a library or you know, um, 80 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: a virtual library, what have you just kind of plowing 81 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: away at it. And and it seemed like I was 82 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 1: piste off enough at the injustice of the way autistic people, 83 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:04,359 Speaker 1: in the way trans people are treated, and especially the 84 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 1: way I think I think we're ignored by both the theaters, 85 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 1: by both you know, for for TERFs and trans exclusionary folks. UM. 86 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: I really feel like we're an easy target where you know, 87 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: autistic people or or for that matter, people with devoltmental 88 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: disabilities or people with with any kind of UM and 89 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:26,919 Speaker 1: I'm using having finger pots on this, any kind of 90 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: impairment based disability, feel like a soft target for people 91 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: that just want to attack trans folks, right like, because 92 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: they're they're a group that are so it's incomprehensible to 93 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: them that we would be able to speak for ourselves. 94 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: So so there, you know, I mean, I don't even 95 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: think that they I don't think they care about autistic people, 96 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: but I don't think they even it even occurs to 97 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 1: them that autistic people might have and trans autistic folks 98 00:05:55,760 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: might have something to say for themselves. So what's kind 99 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:04,479 Speaker 1: of the scope of your research been the for however, 100 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: however long you've been working on this for it's it's 101 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: for a PhD program, correct, Yeah, Well, I started doing 102 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: I wrote a book on trans authentic folks that's sort 103 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:21,599 Speaker 1: of a theory that interviewers with folks UM, and you know, 104 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: I mean I just asked them like about their lives 105 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 1: and what it was like to be trans and what 106 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: it was like to be autistic, and what it's like to, 107 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 1: you know, try to transition as an autistic person, and 108 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff came out of that around you know, 109 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 1: how difficult it can be for folks that are their 110 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,160 Speaker 1: both to access trans healthcare and to sort of navigate 111 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 1: their way in the world. Um, and this is for 112 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: my PhD work. It's sort of an outgrowth of that. 113 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: So I'm looking specifically at how trans autistic community group 114 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: sort of grassroots group formations are are forming and and 115 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: what their goals are. How do you, like, how do 116 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,479 Speaker 1: you go about like ethic research into this topic, because 117 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 1: definitely the like, you know, there's a certain way to like, 118 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: there's a certain way to be like I'm researching autism 119 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: and trans people to be like, huh, that's a little 120 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: bit of a side I right, because because of how 121 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: some of because of how like the turf groups talk 122 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: about it. Obviously you're treads and autistic and that's completely different. 123 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: But like, definitely, yeah, I was definitely wondering, like is 124 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: there like how what what types of like ways does 125 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 1: ethical research go about so that you actually understand people 126 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: when you're when you're talking to them. It's not it's 127 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: not about like here we need to we need to 128 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 1: like solve these problems, because they're not problems to be solved, 129 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: But it's it's research into living people who are like 130 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: having lives. Yeah, I mean, that's that's a great question. Um. 131 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 1: I'm sort of starting to through that myself right now 132 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: because I'm just you know, working through my ethical research proposal. Um, 133 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: but I think you just have to be really honest 134 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: and open and and really write all this stuff out, 135 00:07:57,880 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: like how are you going to contact people and what 136 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 1: are you going to ak to them about and showing 137 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 1: other people what you're doing and being very open to 138 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 1: that process, if that makes sense. Yeah. Yeah, In what 139 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: types of ways do you see the crossover kind of 140 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: between ableism and transphobia and like what how how have 141 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: you seen that crossover be used to kind of hurt 142 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: both trans people and people who are artistic and people 143 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: who are both, you know, I mean I think the 144 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: most explicit way has been I you know, I see 145 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: a lot of articles by the Guardian or the Daily Mail, 146 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 1: you know, bring up the specter of autistic people and 147 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 1: being overrepresented, overrepresented again in finger quotes, h among the 148 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 1: trans population going to gender clinics. And and there isn't 149 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 1: ever any explanation after you say that that the scaremongering 150 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: is just saying there's artistic people supposedly overrepresented among trans folks. 151 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 1: Oh no, but as if it doesn't need saying, it's 152 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,599 Speaker 1: it's assumed that that's that's appalling, you know, but I 153 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 1: like a little bit more explanation. There's there's there's a 154 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,680 Speaker 1: lot said by how they how there's how they frame 155 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: it and how they and like what they don't say, 156 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 1: um really fright, Like the it's all framed as if 157 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,320 Speaker 1: this is, you know, something that everyone recognizes as like 158 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: a problem, um, and countering that is really challenging because 159 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: it is. Yeah, because like again you're you're doing research 160 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: into this in this into this specific crossover, and what 161 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,199 Speaker 1: kinds of stuff have you kind of learned throughout your 162 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:46,680 Speaker 1: research about about this. I mean it's interesting, like it's 163 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 1: that attitude is also represented in the academic literature, like 164 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: over the last I bet yeah, I'd say over the 165 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 1: last five years, the literature on the crossover of of 166 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 1: autism and trans folks has like skyrocketing. Like in I 167 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: always say, in to twenty alone, something like a hundred 168 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 1: and fifty articles were published, whereas two years before that, 169 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:13,320 Speaker 1: maybe twenty UM and and the vast majority of them 170 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 1: are mentioning the um the co occurrence uh in passing. 171 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 1: So they're saying, oh, well, we read these other things 172 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: where autism and trans identity co occurs. So thus you 173 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: should be very careful prior to providing trans healthcare because 174 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: they might be autistic. Yeah, That's the only thing I 175 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: wanted to talk about was like people medical gatekeeping aspect, 176 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: and like you especially see you see this like turfs. 177 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 1: You know, there's a lot of like infantilization with the 178 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 1: turf Frederick around this, and then that kind of leads 179 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: to this type of medical gatekeeping. Yeah, I just think, 180 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: you know, I see, I see this. I saw this 181 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 1: in a book with the interviews I did, and I 182 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: see it in so many other places and especially conversation 183 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 1: with folks. Is that, you know, the problem seems to 184 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 1: be if you tell an unexpected narrative to the person 185 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:06,680 Speaker 1: in charge of gate keeping you for transgender healthcare, you're 186 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: going to make them nervous. And if you make them nervous. 187 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:12,080 Speaker 1: They're they're not necessarily going to say no, but they're 188 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: gonna say to themselves at least, oh, let's wait and see, 189 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:20,439 Speaker 1: and for for autistic folks, waiting and seeing might mean forever, right, 190 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: Like I talked to folks in the book, UH that, 191 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: you know, without without mentioning actual cities, because of the 192 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 1: you know, the particular situation of this person. But let's 193 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 1: let's you know, let's say he lived in New Orleans, uh, 194 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:36,679 Speaker 1: and he wasn't able to access trans healthcare and New 195 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: Orleans because it just wasn't available to folks who were autistic, 196 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: And so he ended up moving to Chicago, which which shows, 197 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: you know, he moved to Chicago specifically to get trans healthcare, 198 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 1: which shows a level of capacity that they're implying in 199 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:54,839 Speaker 1: the context of trans healthcare and New Orleans that he's 200 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: not capable of. But you know, he can uproot his 201 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: whole life, move across the country himself, up find a doctor. 202 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 1: And then he talked to the doctor in an informed 203 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 1: health clinic in Chicago, and and they were like, oh, yeah, 204 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: we knew that you were from this city, and we 205 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 1: do that you were autistic before you told us, because 206 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 1: there's this whole pipeline of autistic trans folks making the 207 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: migration to Chicago from this particular city because they can't 208 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:22,319 Speaker 1: get health care. I mean, like, you know, I'm also 209 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 1: thinking about you know, like kids trying to come out 210 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 1: as trans, um who have autism or have any other 211 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 1: kind of you know, quote unquote developmental disability UM, and 212 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: like just all of the ways that that can be 213 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 1: used to gaslight kids about their gender identity. UM. I 214 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 1: know in your book you mentioned stuff around like self 215 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: discovery and coming out and issues with family. UM, what 216 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: kind of what kind of things have you heard about 217 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:57,319 Speaker 1: that in terms of how how kids that who the 218 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: kids are figuring figuring out gender stuff while also having 219 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 1: this whole other thing that people use to kind of, 220 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: you know, add on to their experience. I mean, I think, 221 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: you know, one of the things I noticed, especially in 222 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 1: you know, sort of trans artistic autobiographies, is that, you know, 223 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:17,680 Speaker 1: gender doesn't really make an inherent sort of sense do 224 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 1: a lot of autistic folks. I mean, it doesn't make 225 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: sense to do. But I mean I have I have 226 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: something going on in my brain. I don't know what 227 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: it is. I don't think it's autism. But yeah, gender's 228 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 1: never never made sense to me either, And I think, 229 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 1: like where you for autistic people, especially where you come 230 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 1: across things that don't make an inherent sort of sense, 231 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 1: it's difficult to accept them. Like so much in the 232 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:42,440 Speaker 1: world doesn't make inherent sense. But that could be a 233 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 1: real sticking point for autistic folks. So, you know, what 234 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:47,719 Speaker 1: I see, what I seem to see a lot of 235 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: is that by the time folks come out of well, 236 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 1: first of all, it seems like although you know, I 237 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: don't want to quote any particular kind of research on it, 238 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: because I think the jury is still out, but it 239 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 1: seems like autistic people are more likely to identify as 240 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 1: non binary um or to just not identify with gender 241 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 1: at all. Um. And it does seem like by the 242 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:12,559 Speaker 1: time folks come out as trans, whatever you know, permutation 243 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 1: of that there is for them, um, They've they've tried 244 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 1: just about every other identity they can, you know, they 245 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 1: can try out like especially you know, I mean, we're 246 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: aware that there are social stigmas and and and social 247 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: expectations around gender. So I think for for a lot 248 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: of autistic folks, they're going to try to fit that 249 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: even though it doesn't make sense to them. They're going 250 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: to try to fit within that because they know it exists, 251 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 1: and that by the time they come out as as trans, 252 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: like or male or female or what have you, like, 253 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: we pretty well know there makes any kind of sense. Yeah. No, 254 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 1: I mean they think that there's a lot of misconceptions 255 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: people have about about me both being trans and pig autistic. 256 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 1: Let let a load being both of Is there any 257 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: like yeah, like, what's most the common misconceptions about this 258 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: only kind of on like a broader level. Would you 259 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: like to dispel? Um? Sure, Yeah, I mean I think 260 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 1: a lot of people get told, you know, you can't 261 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: you can't be autistic because you're too you're too articulate, 262 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 1: or you know, you have too much of an opinion. 263 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 1: Autistic people can't have an opinion of themselves or their 264 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: own life. And that's I'm paraphrasing, but I think that's 265 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 1: what it is. Yeah, absolutely, Um, And then you know, 266 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 1: trans folks get told it's not uncommon to get told, oh, well, 267 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: you can't be autistic because you're trans, so you're sort 268 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: of in this this no no person's land. That's such 269 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 1: a it's such like an ontological attack on someone's being 270 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 1: it's so really is you know, like that's you know, 271 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: like you know already like again just being solely trans 272 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: or autistic, you at some of that and then together 273 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: it's like it's just attacking every kind of part of 274 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: you that you're trying to figure out. Um, well, I mean, 275 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: I mean in terms of attacking people rhetorically, it's sort 276 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 1: of the perfect weapon because you can make autistic trans 277 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: people into whatever you want to be convenient to you. 278 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 1: What kinds of stuff do you think people should know 279 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: about this to help kind of either you know, to 280 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: help either like counter some of the rhetoric around this, 281 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 1: or just to gain better like personal understanding, right if 282 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: they have if they have you know, people in their 283 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 1: lives who are like this, or maybe they suspect that 284 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: they're that they're trans and they're autistic. Like how what 285 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: what kinds of what kinds of stuff would you like 286 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: people to be more aware of about this intersection? Well, 287 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: I guess I remember a story someone from the book 288 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: told me about how you know he was. He had 289 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 1: his best friend is is trans and autistic as well 290 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: and has a number of physical disabilities, and he was 291 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: kind of he's sort of the caretaker for him. Um, 292 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: and he was kind of talking to him about how, oh, well, 293 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:04,239 Speaker 1: I don't know if I'm trans, and I don't know 294 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: if I should, you know, if I should use that 295 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:09,199 Speaker 1: label or like, you know, maybe it's not the right 296 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: thing to do or it's bad or something. And his 297 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:15,080 Speaker 1: friend was like, well, you know you're not You're not 298 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: a hormone and vampire. Like you're not gonna like suck 299 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 1: the hormones onto somebody else and and hurt them by 300 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 1: taking away their testosterone. Like, oh, I wish is I 301 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 1: worked like that? Um, you know I would, I would 302 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:33,119 Speaker 1: be a trans vampire. Um, this is about you and 303 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 1: what makes you comfortable. It's not about like you're not 304 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 1: hurting anybody else being yourself. And I think you know, 305 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 1: autistic folks like anybody else you know, worry about I mean, 306 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:50,679 Speaker 1: we're we're just as susceptible to the attacks on trans 307 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: folks as anybody else, right, Like, and you worry that, like, well, 308 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 1: maybe this isn't the right thing to do, but like 309 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 1: what are you hurting by by exploring it? That doesn't 310 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:02,919 Speaker 1: mean you have to be trans, or you have to transition, 311 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 1: or or you can't change your mind like but it doesn't. 312 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 1: It doesn't hurt anybody, even though you to just be 313 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:13,159 Speaker 1: open to it, even just like temporarily trying out different 314 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,880 Speaker 1: names or pronouns. Right, it can can be like such 315 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: a big deal, um, and it can be very incidental. 316 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: Like it doesn't it doesn't need to be so cataclysmic. Right, 317 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: That's something that you can experiment with and it's fine, right. 318 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: You never yeah, you don't lock yourself into anything. Um, 319 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:34,479 Speaker 1: but of course you know what it's about, your personal 320 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 1: sense of identity. Of course it feels much bigger. Well, 321 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: I think I think people worry about what other folks. 322 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:42,719 Speaker 1: I mean, obviously, people worry about what other folks will 323 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:47,399 Speaker 1: think and mean for them. Um, I don't know. I mean, 324 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:50,159 Speaker 1: it seems like a strange comparison to make, but I 325 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,880 Speaker 1: don't know. If you've seen Crimes of the Future, I've 326 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:57,439 Speaker 1: not yet. Oh, it's it's really good. It's it's the 327 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:01,200 Speaker 1: most recent David Cronbrck movie, and they're just great. I'm 328 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 1: going to give away the end of the movie, so 329 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:07,119 Speaker 1: spoil boilers. I know, we're giving this into a movie podcast. 330 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: What I've always wanted. There's this great scene at the 331 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 1: end though, where Vigo Mortison is like in this he 332 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 1: has this special like Verry David Croninbergie bone chair that 333 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 1: he has to like be in to move him around 334 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: what he's eating, and he finally is convinced by his 335 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:25,479 Speaker 1: partner to like try the plastic chocolate bar that's you know, 336 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: supposed to be like it's a whole digestive thing. I 337 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: will get into it. But you know, there's this moment 338 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 1: of realization, like he's been avoiding this for the whole 339 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 1: the whole movie, and he like tries it and he's 340 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: eating it, and suddenly there's this this realization moment in 341 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 1: his face where he's like, oh, this didn't have to 342 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 1: be so difficult, Like, I society doesn't want me to 343 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: do this, and it's it's seen as a crime and 344 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: it's seen as as terrible, but actually when you crossed 345 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: that rubicon, it wasn't as bad as you thought. Yeah, 346 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: I mean, especially if you if you're even even if 347 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:05,639 Speaker 1: you're not like coming out to everybody you know at 348 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:07,479 Speaker 1: the same time, right, you can start you start off 349 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 1: with a smell group of people that you know are 350 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: gonna be with you, and you try it out with them, 351 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 1: and if you like it, then great, that's that's a 352 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 1: really good sign if you if you start it and 353 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: you're like, and this doesn't feel right, then you don't 354 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 1: need to commit. Like it's not a thing, right. That 355 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:25,399 Speaker 1: rubicon can feel so big sometimes Yeah, and it feels 356 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 1: like you're you're jumping across a giant like the Grand Canyon. 357 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: But really, oh it is is you're stepping across, you know, 358 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: a small stream and you can step right back across 359 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:39,360 Speaker 1: there if you didn't like it. Yeah, So what kind 360 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: of things we like to see happen around like the 361 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: medical gatekeeping so that it's less fucked up? I mean, 362 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 1: I know a lot of I'm actually act a conference 363 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:54,440 Speaker 1: in Belgium right now for trans health sort of medical 364 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:58,639 Speaker 1: trans health stuff. Um, and you know, I mean, I 365 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: think one of the things I keep coming back to 366 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: is you don't need to treat autistic people in the 367 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 1: realm of trans healthcare any differently than you do anywhere else, 368 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 1: like anyone else, Like especially in the gate keeper model, 369 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:14,479 Speaker 1: we have like either you have the capacity to consent 370 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,960 Speaker 1: or you don't like that that test is And I 371 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: have lots of thoughts about that if that's for another day. 372 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: But you know, whether you meet those tests or not, 373 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,120 Speaker 1: it should not be any different just because you're autistic. 374 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: UM would like to, I guess talk just briefly about 375 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 1: your book. Um, you know, what's it like? What? What 376 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:45,439 Speaker 1: what the scope of it is? Where people can find it? 377 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: UM trans an Autistic Stories from Our Stories from Life 378 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:55,440 Speaker 1: at the Intersection by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. UM. It was 379 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 1: out in I think people can find it on Amazon 380 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: or wherever you buy books. I'm or Pala's bookstore over 381 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: there in Portland has it. Um. Yeah, it's it's a 382 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,119 Speaker 1: series of interviews with folks who are trans and artistic. 383 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 1: I sat down with folks and and asked them about 384 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:14,399 Speaker 1: their life and and what's going on and what that 385 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:17,879 Speaker 1: looks like. And then I sort of, uh, you know, 386 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,879 Speaker 1: trying to transcribe that into into a text, into a 387 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,160 Speaker 1: narrative form and put that in a book. And here 388 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: we are. That sounds wonderful. UM. I see the I 389 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: see that. I see the listing on Amazon dot c 390 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:34,680 Speaker 1: A for our for our Canadian Canadian folks as well. UM. Yeah, 391 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,159 Speaker 1: thank you so much for talking about this. UM. Is 392 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 1: there any other kind of random thoughts that you would 393 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:41,639 Speaker 1: like to you would like to mention that we haven't 394 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:46,199 Speaker 1: that we haven't brought up yet. Sure. Um, you know, 395 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:49,719 Speaker 1: I always like to plug groups Walsh's work which looks 396 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:51,919 Speaker 1: at you know, they do a lot of work in 397 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: trans autistic stuff too, and they kind of look at 398 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 1: why more people may be trans an autistic, uh And 399 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:02,199 Speaker 1: one of the things, as they've they've found is that 400 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:07,240 Speaker 1: it may be that uh autistic people are both less 401 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:10,679 Speaker 1: capable of hiding the fact that they're trans and less 402 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: less capable of caring um or caring about hiding it. 403 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:21,399 Speaker 1: So it may be more obvious that there is a concurrence. 404 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:25,920 Speaker 1: They're not an actual overage of a concurrence, let's say, Yeah, 405 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,439 Speaker 1: of course. Yeah, that means that was definitely in the 406 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 1: back of my mind. Yeah, huh. Well again, no, thank 407 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 1: you so much for coming to talk with us. Yeah, 408 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 1: can I can I plug a couple of things? Is 409 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 1: that plug? Plug away? This is still still your time, okay. Um. 410 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:51,359 Speaker 1: So I'm leading a refugee sponsorship group for a group 411 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,159 Speaker 1: of five for a trans guy from the Middle East, 412 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:58,640 Speaker 1: and we're raising funds through the Metropolitan Community Church in Toronto. 413 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: We got to raise us amount before we can put 414 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:04,440 Speaker 1: the application in and I can give you that link, 415 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: but it's at Canada helps dot org and the name 416 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:14,440 Speaker 1: is trans Proud, trans Proud trans and proud you are ill. 417 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:16,640 Speaker 1: But it's kind of long. I will I will put 418 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:18,080 Speaker 1: if you send me that link, I will put it 419 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:22,280 Speaker 1: in the description for people to click on. Awesome, and 420 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 1: you can find me at no atoms on Twitter because 421 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 1: I got in early enough to get my name. Yeah wow, 422 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:32,200 Speaker 1: March two thousand nine, just right right on the cusp 423 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 1: right well again, Thank you so much for reaching out 424 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 1: to talk about this intersection. Hopefully if anyone was interested 425 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,880 Speaker 1: what we were talking about, UM, please check out Noah's book, 426 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:48,360 Speaker 1: um to just read a whole bunch of stories from 427 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 1: from from people about this. Yeah awesome, Thank you, Yeah 428 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 1: all right everyone that does it for us today. See 429 00:24:56,320 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 1: on the other side. It could happen here as a 430 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: production of cool Zone Media and more podcasts from cool 431 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 1: Zone Media. Visit our website cool zone media dot com, 432 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: or check us out on the I Heart Radio app, 433 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:13,719 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can 434 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:16,440 Speaker 1: find sources for It could Happen here, updated monthly at 435 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 1: cool zone Media dot com slash sources. Thanks for listening,