How someone feels about their gender is known as gender identity. Some people identify as the sex they were assigned with at birth, others don’t. Some people may be assigned male at birth but identify as female. Some may be assigned female but identify as male, or people may identify as neither female nor male. Some people may feel both male and female at different times. We all express our gender in different ways, for example in how we dress and act.

Gender dysphoria

People may experience discomfort or distress when their assigned sex is different from the gender they identify with – this is known as gender dysphoria (GD). There is some evidence to show a link between gender dysphoria and autism, and that autistic people may be more likely than other people to have gender dysphoria. However there is little evidence about the reason(s) why, and some recent research suggests the link between autism and gender dysphoria is not so clear. More research is needed. More research is also required to develop and test assessment tools, support and treatment for autistic people experiencing gender dysphoria. 

https://autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism/autism-and-gender-identity

If you experience discomfort with your gender identity, you may feel unhappy, lonely or isolated from other teenagers.

Gender identity issues are not a mental health disorder or disease. However, if you feel as though you are struggling with your mental health you can seek help for this.

You may feel social pressure from your friends, classmates or family to behave in a certain way, or you may face bullying and harassment for being different. This may be affecting your self-esteem and performance at school.

All these difficulties can affect your emotional and psychological wellbeing. In some cases the distress can be considerable. Depression is very common among young people with gender discomfort.

Who can help me?

If you’re experiencing discomfort or uncertainty about your gender identity, and it’s causing you distress, it’s important to talk to an adult you can trust.

You might want to talk to a parent or family member, or someone at your school or college.

Schools and colleges are now much more aware of trans and gender identity issues, are keen to support young people, and have a duty to support you.

If you do not feel able to talk to someone you already know, there are charities and local gender support groups you can talk to. Many have trained counsellors you can speak to in confidence.https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/trans-teenager/