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HelloSweetie
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28 Sep 2016, 2:08 am

Hi,

I'm looking into books on females on the spectrum and came across Rudy Simone's books, YT channel and her latest project
http://www.aspergirlsociety.com/

Anyone that has read the books and/or has a clear opinion?

I find her views and how she presents herself refreshing, incl the goth vibe, but I don't know if I should buy her books as there are many others that I would like to explore as well (already spent tons on books on Aspergers).

Especially interested if her (or other) books offer good insight in long time relationships, marriage & intimacy.

Thanks!



hurtloam
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06 Oct 2016, 2:52 pm

I really disliked the tone of that book. I thought she had a right chip on her shoulder. All the world isn't out to get us.

I do generally get on well with most people and i don't feel the need to be constantly on the defensive back foot.

I don't fit in, but I think that's a different issue. I'm not unpleasant, I'm just very distant and unable to connect. People like me, but I'm not close to anyone and not good at camaraderie. That doesn't make me angry and I don't feel like I have any battles to fight. So I didn't relate to that book.

I preferred Liane Hallyday Wiley's Aspergers in the Family. That was the book that really helped me understand Aspergers as a woman.



HelloSweetie
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06 Oct 2016, 3:35 pm

hurtloam wrote:
I really disliked the tone of that book. I thought she had a right chip on her shoulder. All the world isn't out to get us.

I do generally get on well with most people and i don't feel the need to be constantly on the defensive back foot.

I don't fit in, but I think that's a different issue. I'm not unpleasant, I'm just very distant and unable to connect. People like me, but I'm not close to anyone and not good at camaraderie. That doesn't make me angry and I don't feel like I have any battles to fight. So I didn't relate to that book.

I preferred Liane Hallyday Wiley's Aspergers in the Family. That was the book that really helped me understand Aspergers as a woman.


Thanks so much for your honesty!
I will deff check the other book out.

I'm not an angry fighting battles kinda person either.
I do like to connect though. But I respect boundaries. Like I'm a mushy hugger but only do that to people that I'm sure that they enjoy that. I will often ask bluntly: would you like a hug?



Barchan
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11 Oct 2016, 4:00 pm

I'm getting a Kindle soon, and Aspergirls is in my backlog. I'll let you know what I think about it after I've read it.



BirdInFlight
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11 Oct 2016, 6:35 pm

The "Aspergirls" book was the first book on Asperger's that I bought when I was first slowly coming out of a period of ten years of denial and feeling scared for suspecting I might be on the spectrum.

At that time, I had already begun to do research online and had already found out the factual stuff, so I realized this book was strictly "anecdotal" but still could be helpful.

At the time I bought and read it, I wasn't aware of how many people complain about that book or Rudy Simone -- I just read it in complete innocence.

So I have to admit that, for me, on that first reading a couple/few years ago, it was a positive experience, only because I recognized bits of myself page after page. Not everything, as some things she said were glaringly "not me," but enough that resonated with me that it got ridiculous, and I felt very happy to realize that I was not alone and not the freak I thought I was. That's what that book helped me with, even though there are problems and flaws with it.

One problem is it's very "cheerleading." It goes a bit over the top "celebrating" being an Aspie woman as if it's only the same as being some cool, quirky, hipster -- that's almost the tone she gives it. I realized this aspect was a bit silly, and felt like it trivialized the fact that this is a set of impairments, not just a bunch of cool personality quirks.

So that side of the book is annoying and plays down the realites of a neurological difference.

But what I did get from the book was just the feeling of not being the only one -- the book is compiled of reportedly diagnosed women and girls' own essays and sharing of their experiences, so, for that, it's valuable in the sense that it can let you know you share the same issues.

I read it before I even knew Wrong Planet existed, so, at that time, it was an important revelation and source of comfort, somewhat, to read that other people had the same experiences, traits and issues that I had experienced.

For that much, it's worth a read, because of the actual input of all these diagnosed women, but not so much for Rudy Simone's own interjections that seem to go "rah rah Aspergirrrrlz!" like it's a sorority to join.

That didn't appeal to me but the reading about other women did, before I found WP has that already anyway.



HelloSweetie
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13 Oct 2016, 2:36 am

Thank you both :)

I might pick it up the eBook, for DH as well if he might have questions on my quirks as we're both on the spectrum. Many similarities but also some stuff is so different...