My reading on neurology, and particularily on the neurological causes of homosexuality, autism and other "abnormalities", have led me to believe that male homosexuality and autism are only the two extremities of the same phenomenon.
Serious researches have shown that male homosexuality is inborn, and caused by a lack of testosterone in the mother's blood during pregnancy, or an excess of it if the baby is a girl. Given the fact that it is much easier for a woman to lack testosterone (a male hormone only found in low level in the female body), this explains the higher incidence of true, immutable homosexuality among men than women. Homosexuality among women is more often bisexuality, and can also often be explained by the closer emotional and affective ties that women are capable of.
Autism has many possible causes. Like for homosexuality, there is a hereditary factor. And like for homosexuality, the influence of testosterone on the foetus is possibly the most important of all factors. The incidence of autism is also much greater among males, but contrarily to male homosexuality, it is not caused by a lack of testosterone but an excess of it. (note that some cases of autism, especially those involving mental retardation, are caused by brain damages or viral/bacterial infection of the brain).
In other words, whereas a male homosexual's brain is too feminine due to a lack of male hormones during its formation, and thus experience the same feelings as a woman's brain, an autist's brain is too masculine, even for a man. This explains why women are less likely to become autistic, as their lower postnatal testosterone levels are always lower.
Theoretically, it would thus be impossible for a male autist to be also homosexual or vice versa. However, female autists are quite likely to be homosexual, due to their overly masculinised brain.
Grading scale
In human psychology, nothing is black and white, but a long gradation of greys in between two theoretical extremities. In the same way as there are "hard-core" homosexuals, disgusted at the idea of touching somebody from the other sex, and bisexual who stand in between heterosuality and homosexuality, there are many levels of autism, from profound to slight.
The more benign cases of autism are called high-functioning autism (HFA). An even lighter version is Asperger's syndrome (AS). Many resources don't make the differences between the two; however, the differences may well be like described below :
On a scale of intensity, correlating to the masculinisation of the brain, we could grade human brain types like this (for men only) :
Very masculine brain (high testosterone)
Profound Autism
Autism
High-functioning Autism
Asperger's Syndrome
Neutral
Slight Bisexuality
Bisexuality
Homosexuality
Profound Homosexuality
Very feminine brain (low testosterone)
The scale for women is more difficult to establish, as homosexuality correlates a bit with autism, or is completely unrelated (in the case of female affection, charm and sensuality playing between two female individuals).
Neutrality is of course also a theoretical case. Everyone (at least every man) probably has an inclination in one way of another. Less sociable, less fashionable, more "geeky" and logical tend more on the autist side (even if they are not autistic), while very talkative, fashionable men always hanging out with friends or gossiping are more likely on the other side (even if they are straight). Of course there are always exceptions, and it is certainly possible for some on the geeky side to be gay as well, although probably rarer. One explanation is that autism can be caused by testosterone levels after birth, while homosexuality is more generally induced before birth.
Serious researches have shown that male homosexuality is inborn, and caused by a lack of testosterone in the mother's blood during pregnancy, or an excess of it if the baby is a girl. Given the fact that it is much easier for a woman to lack testosterone (a male hormone only found in low level in the female body), this explains the higher incidence of true, immutable homosexuality among men than women. Homosexuality among women is more often bisexuality, and can also often be explained by the closer emotional and affective ties that women are capable of.
Autism has many possible causes. Like for homosexuality, there is a hereditary factor. And like for homosexuality, the influence of testosterone on the foetus is possibly the most important of all factors. The incidence of autism is also much greater among males, but contrarily to male homosexuality, it is not caused by a lack of testosterone but an excess of it. (note that some cases of autism, especially those involving mental retardation, are caused by brain damages or viral/bacterial infection of the brain).
In other words, whereas a male homosexual's brain is too feminine due to a lack of male hormones during its formation, and thus experience the same feelings as a woman's brain, an autist's brain is too masculine, even for a man. This explains why women are less likely to become autistic, as their lower postnatal testosterone levels are always lower.
Theoretically, it would thus be impossible for a male autist to be also homosexual or vice versa. However, female autists are quite likely to be homosexual, due to their overly masculinised brain.
Grading scale
In human psychology, nothing is black and white, but a long gradation of greys in between two theoretical extremities. In the same way as there are "hard-core" homosexuals, disgusted at the idea of touching somebody from the other sex, and bisexual who stand in between heterosuality and homosexuality, there are many levels of autism, from profound to slight.
The more benign cases of autism are called high-functioning autism (HFA). An even lighter version is Asperger's syndrome (AS). Many resources don't make the differences between the two; however, the differences may well be like described below :
Asperger's syndrome compared to high-functioning autism:
[*] AS = Verbal IQ > Performance IQ; HFA = inverse
[*] AS = motor clumsiness; HFA = motor skills can be an islet of ability
[*] AS = can be very verbose; HFA = more often silent and withdrawn
[*] AS = communicates in words; HFA = may communicate in simple gestures, especially as a young child
[*] AS population average IQ usually higher than that of HFAs
[*] AS = may be reported as having more interest in socializing; HFA = stereotypically reported as having less interest in socializing
[*] AS = geeky, intellectual; HFA = "special," odd
[*] AS = less noticeable stims; HFA = more noticeable stims
[*] AS = fewer meltdowns and better sensory integration; HFA = more meltdowns and greater sensory integration dysfunction
[*] AS = obsessive interests are more abstract and intellectual - conceptual systems; HFA = obsessive interests tend to be simple and concrete or systems based in the physical world
On a scale of intensity, correlating to the masculinisation of the brain, we could grade human brain types like this (for men only) :
Very masculine brain (high testosterone)
Profound Autism
Autism
High-functioning Autism
Asperger's Syndrome
Neutral
Slight Bisexuality
Bisexuality
Homosexuality
Profound Homosexuality
Very feminine brain (low testosterone)
The scale for women is more difficult to establish, as homosexuality correlates a bit with autism, or is completely unrelated (in the case of female affection, charm and sensuality playing between two female individuals).
Neutrality is of course also a theoretical case. Everyone (at least every man) probably has an inclination in one way of another. Less sociable, less fashionable, more "geeky" and logical tend more on the autist side (even if they are not autistic), while very talkative, fashionable men always hanging out with friends or gossiping are more likely on the other side (even if they are straight). Of course there are always exceptions, and it is certainly possible for some on the geeky side to be gay as well, although probably rarer. One explanation is that autism can be caused by testosterone levels after birth, while homosexuality is more generally induced before birth.