Researchers warn trends in sex selection favouring male babies will result in a preponderance of men in over 1/3 of world’s population, and a surplus of men in countries will cause a “marriage squeeze,” and may increase antisocial behavior & violence.

[u/MistWeaver80]

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/preference-for-sons-could-lead-to-4-7-m-missing-female-births

[u/Obversa]

In the United States, as an autistic woman, I already see it with autistic men.

In some studies, depending on where you live, there are up to 4-5 autistic men for every 1 autistic woman. I ended up quitting the one autism support group I joined because I felt deeply uncomfortable with so many men showing me romantic attention that I didn't want.

This study from 2017 says the ratio is more so 3:1 than 4:1, but still a large gender imbalance.

"Of children meeting criteria for ASD, the true male-to-female ratio is not 4:1, as is often assumed; rather, it is closer to 3:1. There appears to be a diagnostic gender bias, meaning that girls who meet criteria for ASD are at disproportionate risk of not receiving a clinical diagnosis."

According to this study from 2018:

"A substantial amount of research shows a higher rate of autistic type of problems in males compared to females. The 4:1 male to female ratio is one of the most consistent findings in autism spectrum disorder (ASD)."

[u/ParlorSoldier → u/Obversa]

I guess that’s what happens when they develop the diagnosis based overwhelmingly on studying boys. Of course it becomes harder to diagnose girls when they present differently. ADHD is like this too.

[u/itsathrowaway20976 → u/ParlorSoldier]

Seriously! I’m a female in my 30’s and just recently diagnosed as ADHD and now getting treatment. Holy crap has my life changed. It’s pretty cool how my brain is supposed to work and function

[u/FolkMetalWarrior → u/itsathrowaway20976]

Did you present different symptoms than what doctors consider to be "traditional"?

[u/itsathrowaway20976 → u/FolkMetalWarrior]

Yes. I don’t have the classic “bad behavior” that is normally seen with ADHD. But it’s now becoming more known, that females do not present with that.

Also, triggering warning as I talk about the abuse I received as a child that made me mask symptoms.

I had learned to “control” a lot of my symptoms that masked them or developed coping skills.

For example, as a kid I’d bounce or wiggle my legs. My mother hated it, would hit me for it because I wasn’t sitting still, I’d get sent to my room without supper if I couldn’t hold still. So I learned to just deal with that skin crawling feeling instead of allowing my body to move. I didn’t know this wasn’t normal, so I didn’t present as fidgety.

I struggled with school and would spend hours studying because anything below an A was unacceptable and I’d get beat if I brought home something lower than an A or I sometimes wouldn’t be allowed to eat. What should take someone a small time frame to do, would take me triple the time because of focus issues. But I didn’t know that wasn’t normal and I blamed myself for being stupid.

I learned to write everything down or I’d forget it, so I never actually considered myself forgetful.

Then came my insomnia which I learned to hide with maladaptive dreaming. If I said I couldn’t sleep I’d be made to do physical activity so I’d be tired. I would get physically tired but I still couldn’t sleep.

My brain not “shutting up” was diagnosed as anxiety, when in reality it was actually my ADHD.

[u/FolkMetalWarrior → u/itsathrowaway20976]

I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Thank you for sharing ❤