City Research Online

Abstract

Autism, gender diversity, and sexual orientation diversity can each be indexed categorically (autistic vs nonautistic; cisgender/gender incongruent; heterosexual/non-heterosexual) and dimensionally (continuous trait scores). Research has linked autism with both gender and sexual orientation diversity, but the basis of these associations remains unclear. Because childhood gender nonconformity is a robust dimensional correlate of adult sexual orientation in the general population, we examined whether recalled childhood gender nonconformity accounts for associations between autism and adult sexual orientation, and whether autism influences the childhood gender nonconformity × adult sexual orientation link.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2026 Sage. This is the accepted manuscript of an article published by Sage. Please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions for information on re-use.
Publisher Keywords:	Autism, Autism Traits, Childhood Gender Nonconformity, Sexual Orientation, Gender Diversity, Cisgender Adults
Subjects:	R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Departments:	School of Health & Medical Sciences School of Health & Medical Sciences > Department of Psychology & Neuroscience
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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