pridesource.com – Crystal A. Proxmire
When Dr. Antonia Caretto, Ph.D, was just a teenage tomboy, she met a lesbian who transitioned to becoming a male. Recalls Caretto: “This sparked my interest in the similarities and differences between gender non-conformity and sexual orientation.”
She went on to study psychology and did her dissertation on transgender issues, titled Familial Homosexuality Among Women and Its Relationship to Gender Role Non-Conformity in Childhood and Adult Sex Role. Now, the Farmington Hills resident is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in autism and gender issues, and is preparing to fly to Berkeley, Calif., to present her work with autistic, transgender youth at the fourth annual Gender Spectrum Family Conference, which takes place Sept. 3-6.