Females with AS

Women with Asperger Syndrome, like men, have a range of AS traits in varying degrees. Please see the page, “What is Asperger Syndrome?” to learn about AS in general. This page will only discuss those issues that are specific to women.

Women with AS traits may feel more stigmatized than males. In America, women are socialized to place more value on relationships than on intelligence or athleticism which are more valued by men. One study by Simon Baron-Cohen and Sally Wheelwright found that “women are more likely to enjoy close, empathetic supportive friendships, to like and be interested in people; to enjoy interaction with others for its own sake; and to consider friendships important.”1 The gap between societal expectations and personal abilities is much larger in women with AS than in men with AS because societal expectations for a strong social identity are much higher. Women may also have more difficulty in forming friendships because female relationships are frequently based on nuanced emotional and social exchanges whereas male friendships are more activity based.2

Women, both on and off the spectrum, are more likely to cope with frustration or challenges by internalizing whereas men externalize difficult feelings. Although this has not been validated by scientific research, anecdotal evidence seems to indicate that women with AS may experience comorbid mood disorders in more severe forms and more frequently because they internalize feelings of frustration and failure.

Women with AS may be less likely to be diagnosed and more likely to be misdiagnosed. Women’s tendency to internalize may mean that they are not encouraged to seek out a diagnosis like many of their male peers. Women may appear introverted or shy whereas men may be more likely to be perceived as “acting out”. If women do seek a diagnosis, they may not receive an appropriate diagnosis of AS because they may be more likely to be able to mask their AS traits. Those traits that they do not mask, such as difficulty making eye contact, may be more appropriate in women who are perceived as shy.3 From an early age, women receive more explicit instructions on how to interact with others that may help them to create a cognitive understanding for how to behave in different situations. This has enabled many women with AS to develop a stronger social façade.

Women with AS may be at risk for victimization because of their social naiveté. One study of children with developmental disabilities found rates of sexual abuse 1.7 times higher than those in the general population.4 Women with AS should work with family, friends, therapists and coaches to develop a clear set of rules on safety.

Women with AS may perceive their sexuality in a variety of ways. Due to the numerous taboos around sexuality and women, women with AS rarely have forums for explicit conversation about sexuality. Sensory sensitivities may be a particular issue for women with AS. Women with AS are frequently on medications that have sexual side effects, most commonly a reduction of sexual arousal. This may lead to more women with AS perceiving themselves as asexual.

Frequently, women with AS, like men with AS, have special interests, however, these special interests seem to have a different set of themes. Women seem more likely to be interested in animals and fantasy (i.e. Harry Potter, Wizards, Princesses etc.) than men, who may be more interested in computers or astronomy.

Many women with AS are successful at parenting. One woman with AS stated that she has more vivid memories of her childhood than her peers and so is better able to interact with her child. Women with AS might struggle with the many executive functioning tasks required of a parent. In addition, women with AS may have more difficulty with their children when they become adolescents and social interactions become a primary focus of their life. Parents with AS may feel they struggle in relating to other children’s parents and at setting up social interactions for their children. They may also feel that parenting with a disability is extremely stigmatized.2 Parents with AS may need support from family, friends, and professionals for help with these weaknesses.

If you want to learn more, here are a few books by women with AS or Autism:
Birch, J. (2003, February). Congratulations! It's Asperger syndrome. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Blackman, L. (1999). Lucy’s story: Autism and other adventures. Mt. Ommaney, Australia: Book in Hand.
Grandin, T. (1995). Thinking in pictures: And other reports from my life. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishers Groups, Inc.
Grandin, T. (1996, August). Emergence: Labeled autistic. New York: Warner Books, Inc
Miller, J. K. (Ed.). (2003). Women from another planet? Our lives in the universe of autism. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse.
Peers, J. (2003). Asparagus dreams. London: Jessica Kingsley
Prince-Hughes, D. (2004). Songs of the gorilla nation: My journey through autism. New York: Harmony Books.
Willey, L. H. (1999). Pretending to be normal: Living with Asperger Syndrome. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Williams, D. (1992). Nobody, nowhere: The extraordinary autobiography of an autistic. New York: Avon Books
Williams, D. (1994). Somebody, somewhere: Breaking free from the world of autism. New York: Times Books.
Williams, S. (2005). Reflections of self. Kentwood, MI: The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding.

Footnotes:

  1. Baron-Cohen, S. & Wheelwright, S. (2003) The Friendship Questionnaire: An Investigation of Adults with Asperger Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism, and Normal Sex Differences. Journal of Autism and Developmental Differences, 33:5, p.509-517.
  2. Zaks, Z. (2006) Life and Love: Positive Strategies for Autistic Adults. Kansas: Autism Asperger Publishing Co.
  3. Wagner, S. (2006) Educating the Female Student with Asperger’s. In Asperger’s and Girls (pp. 15-32). Texas: Future Horizons.
  4. Henault, I. ((2005)Sexuality and Asperger Syndrome: The need for socio-sexual education. In K.P Stoddart (Ed) Children, Youth, and Adults with Asperger Syndrome. (pp. 110-121). Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.