Life with Aspergers

Recently, I was unpacking the dishwasher and putting cups away while thinking about how we chose the cups and mugs and how my wife and I have very different thought processes when it comes to buying them. I was wondering if this was a male/female difference, an autism/neurotypical difference or just a Gavin/Joanne difference. Somehow, I got to reflecting on the whole "extreme male brain" theory of autism and why I dislike that model more than ever.  ... and then of course, I started thinking about how people escape these gender stereotypes. The art of choosing a mug My wife used to choose cups in sets of four or preferably six. They'd all have the same pattern (or at least they'd all be related in some way).  Often this pattern would match the walls or benchtop in our kitchen. Sometimes the mugs she'd choose would come with their own stand which meant that they annoyingly took up space on the bench or they'd have a set of special hooks on the wall which...

For adults on the spectrum: I just want to draw your attention to an article which looks at whether orgasms are different for people on the spectrum. The Science of Autism and Orgasm by Lindsey Nebeker https://nakedbrainink.com/2642/science-autism-orgasm/ and it's on the Naked Brain Inc. Blog The article talks about an adult who has only recently realised their place on the spectrum. She says that she feels that her growing awareness has led to extreme distractibility so that objects in the room, such as the fan, or textures can make her feel overwhelmed and unable to climax.  The article looks at two possibilities; That orgasms on the spectrum are the same as those off the spectrum That orgasms on the spectrum are different to those off the spectrum It also highlights challenges to achieving orgasm for people with autism; Lack of sex education Difficulty "surrendering" self-control Environmental factors (non-sensory friendly environments) Stimulation and sensory issues...

Please Note: This post may contain material which could be considered offensive. If you are squemish? Please do not read further. This topic was suggested by one of my readers and given that it's not only frequently a source of parental concern but can also cause major social issues, I thought it was well worth covering. The Extremes Like all aspie traits, the ones described here don't necessarily apply to everyone. People with aspergers are individuals too and there's no reason to expect that any generalisations hold true. One thing that I've noticed with many aspies that I've come into contact with is that they tend to cling to the extremes of permissiveness more than their neurotypical counterparts. For example; most NTs learn that nudity isn't socially acceptable from an early age and will generally avoid it. By their mid to late teens however, many NTs push at the boundaries of social acceptance without crossing them in any major way. In this situation, th...

A word of warning: This post may cover adult topics - though really nothing "juicy" so it's probably safe. You may want to read it carefully before allowing minors to look at it.   The Myths   In the last week, prompted by some "off the wall" questions, I have been reading a lot of discussions about autistic people (including "aspies") and sexuality. I am amazed at the opinions of otherwise respectable people in the medical profession. I have found a whole bunch of statements including; All autistic people are gay Most autistic people are asexual (derive no pleasure from sex). Autistic people are sex maniacs Preferences Reading a lot further afield and having discussions with other aspies makes it clear to me that aspies come in all sizes shapes and forms. Their preferences vary just as much as neurotypicals. On Page 246 of "Asperger's Syndrome: Intervening in Schools, Clinics, and Communities" By Linda J. Baker, Lawrence A., they...