millie wrote:
sunshower wrote:
harlequinsenor wrote:
As a pretty woman though I don't think AS would affect her much on any substantial romantic level in terms of relationships considering that men are usually expected to make the initial advance.
You have no idea.
i have to agree with Sunshower, here.
Surely, the incredible beauty, coupled with the "invisible disability of AS" could actually lead to a whole host of other problems, particularly for young women. There could be issues of being targeted and manipulated sexually and/or on dates etc., sexual assault, date rape. Of course there may also be heightened expectations regarding "appropriate behaviour" from others, which may create added pressure to try to fit in and adhere to the group.
We need to be careful about assumptions regarding how it is for others on the spectrum......
Yes, being at least a relatively pretty/attractive woman with AS can cause a whole host of other "invisible problems" (alongside the usual ones you hear people talk about on WP). It certainly doesn't make dating any easier; the social complexities involved in the right ways to react when being hit on/having someone you just consider a friend try to take the friendship further/trying to deal with attention from more than one person at a time/and then ESPECIALLY with trying to deal with the things millie makes reference to, such as sexual manipulation, are beyond comprehension.
It's a whole new ball game, and it certainly doesn't someone make it any "easier" to find a relationship. Just because someone makes an advance towards you, doesn't mean your feelings are reciprocated. And vice versa. It isn't that easy.
And you don't even need "incredible beauty" to be in this situation. The combination of being pretty/relatively attractive and socially naive/socially blind is enough. I couldn't imagine the sort of difficulties and dangers someone like Heather Kuzmich would face on a daily basis.
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Into the dark...