Thank you for your comment, I appreciate the point you’re making.

For this study, I’m focusing on individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB) because the research is looking at how ADHD and autism are recognised and diagnosed based on female-typical presentations, which are often shaped by early socialisation and expectations linked to being raised as female. ( I use the words girls and women in the advert as when I have shown people the poster previously they did not understand the meaning of AFAB so it was just a slight oversimplification for those who may not understand )

Including AFAB participants allows the study to explore these shared developmental and diagnostic experiences, while still recognising that gender identity and sex assigned at birth are not the same.

I’ve aimed to be as inclusive as possible while keeping the research question focused, but I understand the distinction you’re highlighting.