‘I now think that all, or nearly all, have some autistic traits,’ she says. Among the traits common to young people with autistic-spectrum disorders is rigid thinking, which can lead to discomfort with nuance and anyone who seems not to fit into the usual categories. If such children prefer clothing or activities associated with the opposite sex, or are experiencing the early stirrings of same-sex attraction, they may conclude that they have been misclassified.
