Is it common for people with Asperger's to be gay?

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MSBKyle
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21 Dec 2016, 9:07 pm

I first realized I was gay when I first hit puberty at 13. I wasn't diagnosed with Asperger's until I was 20. I have always been different, so being diagnosed on the autism spectrum made me even more different. I have accepted both of those things, but I have never come out to my friends or family. I have never been in a relationship with a male or female. Everyone just thinks I am asexual. I don't know if I could ever come out to anyone close to me. I could never imagine myself being in a relationship with anyone or getting married. For me, sex is not a big deal. I could care less if I only have it once or not at all. All I really want are friends and people to hang out with once in awhile. I was just wondering if it is common for people on the autistic spectrum to identify as another sexuality other than straight.



auntblabby
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21 Dec 2016, 10:06 pm

I've long thought "outside of the box" regarding these things.



goldfish21
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29 Dec 2016, 3:39 am

I can't remember the stats, but yes, I remember reading that it's more common for people on the spectrum to be an LGBTQ+ alphabet kid than the general population. 7% of the general population, so roughly 1 in 11 people, identifies as LGBT, so, more than 7% of ASD people.

Some friends have known since I was teenager. I didn't come out to family until I was ~30. Sexual desire may fluctuate over the years - ie there may come a time when you're more into it than now. Just go with the flow and do whatever's right for you and your situation.


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Hippygoth
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29 Dec 2016, 3:14 pm

Yep, it is. Apparently there's a higher rate of autistic folk identifying as lgbtqqi than there is in the general population. There's a theory that we're often gender-blind - other things are more important, like finding a partner who doesn't cause additional stress.



saxgeek
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30 Dec 2016, 1:02 pm

I don't think it's common, but maybe more likely than in neurotypicals.



This_Amoeba
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30 Dec 2016, 4:13 pm

I don't think it's any more common than it is in neurotypicals. I just think aspies are more likely to be open about it with themselves and others, so it just appears that there is more gay aspies than neurotypicals.



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30 Dec 2016, 10:28 pm

yeah a part of this is due to perhaps autistic are less likely to conform to social norms, maybe to do with many of us are more open and honest with ourselves in a few areas of personal identity philosophy, or something like that.

Same with the asexuality/gay thing, not having much in terms of libido, sexuality desire or attractions, sex ore relationships is not on my radar at all, if it was, id be the so called "mostly gay" descriptor of bisexuality. Possibly without the social and practical difficulties with Tourettes-Aspergers, things perhaps could be different, though perhaps being born a generation earlier I could easily have differencing views of the self identity narrative.


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Lunella
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30 Dec 2016, 10:35 pm

PerfectlyDarkTails wrote:
yeah a part of this is due to perhaps autistic are less likely to conform to social norms


I agree, while there are some autistic people who still try to fit in with normies I hardly come across people who do it that much, I find with autistic people usually there's always a need to express individuality, whether it's sexuality, culture, style or whatever.


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The term Aspergers is no longer officially used in the UK - it is now regarded as High Functioning Autism.