FEB 04, 2021

Letter From the CEO: Gender and Autism

Well, we made it. It’s officially 2021—a new year, full of new beginnings and new adventures. As such, it feels like the appropriate time to take a moment to thank everyone reading this for being a part of the Intercare community. We share a common purpose and goal—to bring the very best care and support to families affected by autism—and 2021 is just the next step in the journey we’re all taking together. This newsletter is just one of the ways we here at Intercare are working to meet our community’s needs. In it, we strive to provide you with news and resources to help navigate some of the more difficult and confusing aspects of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as well as to generally provide support for our Intercare family and the wider autism community.

In this month’s issue, we’re delving deep into issues related to gender and autism, from the reasons behind ASD’s historic prevalence among boys, to the differences between how autism presents in girls and boys, to the growing need for gender-diversity in autism research. We all know that autism occurs on a spectrum and that no two cases are exactly the same, just as no two people with ASD are exactly the same. Unfortunately, research into autism hasn’t historically accurately represented the true range of individuals who live with ASD, and the lack of representation in past studies can have a very real impact on the rate of diagnosis and treatment for people—particularly girls and gender-diverse individuals (including people who identify as non-binary or transgender)—today. We can only hope that, by joining the growing call for more diversity and representation in the participant pools for autism research, we can help change that trend as quickly as possible and increase awareness of the additional struggles that girls and gender-diverse people with autism face.

And remember, each month, we’ll be sharing this newsletter with our staff and community to help keep you connected to all things Intercare. If you want more updates like this one delivered to your inbox, please subscribe [MAKE SUBSCRIBE A LINK] to the newsletter and be sure to share with other members of the Intercare community.

And remember, each month, we’ll be sharing this newsletter with our staff and community to help keep you connected to all things Intercare. If you want more updates like this one delivered to your inbox, please subscribe to the newsletter and be sure to share with other members of the Intercare community.

I always welcome feedback and love hearing from you. If you want to reach out about the newsletter or any other Autism related matter, don’t hesitate to email me at arnon.heller@intercaretherapy.com.

Arnon "Noni" Heller Psy.D. CEO