ASD, Sexuality and Gender
Books
A very late diagnosis of asperger syndrome: how a diagnosis in adulthood can change your life
As awareness and understanding of Asperger Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder increases, more adults are identifying themselves as being on the spectrum and seeking formal diagnosis. This book discusses the process, the pros and cons, and the after-effects of receiving an autism diagnosis in adulthood. Outlining the likely stages of the journey to diagnosis, this book looks at what the individual may go through as they become aware of their Asperger characteristics and as they seek pre-assessment and diagnosis, as well as common reactions upon receiving a diagnosis – from depression and anger to relief and self-acceptance. Combining practical guidance with advice from personal experience and interviews and correspondence with specialists in the field, the book discusses if and when to disclose to family, friends and employers, how to seek appropriate support services, and how to use the self-knowledge gained through diagnosis to live well in the future.
Sarah Attwood is a sexuality educator and has a sister with Asperger’s Syndrome. Her book is clear and easy to read. It is suitable for children and teenagers.
Aspie girl guide to being safe with men
For Aspie girls and women, dating and sexual relationships can be confusing, intimidating and potentially dangerous. Even if actively avoiding romantic relationships or sexual encounters, a lack of understanding about acceptable social interaction between men and women can leave Aspies vulnerable to negative experiences. It is vital, therefore, that the facts and unwritten rules about sexual conduct and relationships are clearly laid out for girls and women on the spectrum. Understanding that Aspies need explanations to be explicit and unambiguous, Debi Brown, a female on the spectrum, presents the truth about sex and relationships, shares her personal insight and provides practical strategies for staying safe in many different situations. As she guides Aspies through the unwritten safety rules around dating, relationships and sex, her advice will empower females on the spectrum, allowing them to build up their knowledge, recognise and report abusive behaviour, understand boundaries, develop relationship skills and work towards a safe independence.
An Asperger Marriage (2002).
Gisela and Christopher Slater-Walker write about their marriage. They discuss the particular concerns about communication, mutual misinterpretation of actions, or more often, lack of actions, which is often due to not reading or understanding the signals or context, and the tendency for those with Asperger’s Syndrome to do nothing in order to avoid making a mistake or evoke emotions that are confusing.
This book is recommended for partners as well as relationships counsellors as an informative and constructive approach to those with Asperger’s Syndrome who are in love.
Can you fall in love with someone who has Asperger’s syndrome? The answer is yes, you can, and many people do, but when you fall in love with that aloof, intelligent, kind and idiosyncratic person, whose behaviours and emotions are confusing, you probably do not know he or she has Asperger’s syndrome….
Autism/Asperger’s and Sexuality: Puberty and Beyond
Playing the dating game is often tricky: all the more so for individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome. How do AS adolescents and their families cope with sexual feelings and behaviour? How can a man with AS be helped not to overstep the mark in expressing his sexuality? How do people with AS deal with intimacy and communication in sexual relationships?
Autism working a seven stage plan to thriving at work
Autism is associated with many qualities that are highly sought after by employers such as reliability, persistence, attention to detail, creativity in problem solving and many others. The key to success in the workplace is understanding these strengths and identifying the support you need to help you flourish.
This self-guided workbook provides advice, strategies and activities to manage the difficulties that can arise at work. You will be given the tools to help minimise anxiety, sensory overload, unhelpful thinking patterns, difficulties with social communication, and organisation and planning problems.
Aspergers Syndrome and Jail: A survival guide
Will Attwood was finishing a three-year sentence in prison when he was formally diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome for the first time. After his diagnosis he recognised just how much it had been affecting his life behind bars. This book is a practical advice guide for people with autism who have been sentenced to time in prison. Will shares his first-hand knowledge of what to expect and how to behave within the penal system
Aperger’s syndrome and long term relationships
Written by the wife of a man with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS), this work should provide the answers to many of the questions asked by the increasing number of people in that situation. It explains how behaviours that may have appeared odd are the manifestations of AS, and shows how understanding can lead to change, or to greater tolerance. It also provides strategies for living successfully with characteristics that cannot be changed, pointing out that AS brings also enormous strengths to a relationship, and emphasizing the value of understanding.
Been there done that. TRY THIS. An aspie’s guide to life on earth
Temple Grandin, Liane Holliday Willey, Anita Lesko, Stephen M. Shore, and many other Aspie mentors, offer their personal guidance on coping with the daily stressors that Aspies have identified as being the most significant, in order of urgency – anxiety, self-esteem, change, meltdowns, depression, friendship, love, and much, much more. Based on years of personal experience, this book is packed with advice from Aspie mentors who have all been there and done that!
World expert Dr. Tony Attwood rounds up each chapter with professional analysis and extensive recommendations. He includes essential information on destructive strategies that may look attractive, but that have counter-productive effects.
Camoflage: the hidden lives of austsitic women
An engaging insight into the often underexplored condition of autism in women and girls, delivered in an expertly researched and beautifully illustrated graphic book. The perfect resource for anyone who wishes to understand how gender affects autism, it shows how to create safer, more accommodating environments for women on the spectrum.
Exploring depression and beating the blues
For people with ASDs, depression is common, and has particular features and causes. This outstanding book provides a comprehensive review of these aspects, and an effective self-help guide for anyone with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affected by depression.
Written by the leading experts in the field, the book explains and describes depression, the forms it can take, and how it looks and feels for a person on the autism spectrum. The authors draw on the latest thinking and research to suggest strategies for coping with the effects of depression and provide a complete step-by-step CBT self-help programme, designed specifically for individuals with ASDs.
The Amazing Autistic Brain Cards
This deck of cards is a resource to help professionals, parents and anyone working with autistic young people to have discussions about an Autism diagnosis in a personalised, positive and meaningful way.
The Autism Spectrum Sexuality and The Law
This important book addresses the issues surrounding the autism spectrum, sexuality and the law. The complex world of sex and appropriate sexual behaviour can be extremely challenging for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and, without guidance, many find themselves in vulnerable situations.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction. Tony Attwood.; 2. My Story. Nick Dubin.; 3. The Pathway to Accessing Child Pornography. Tony Attwood.; 4. Strategies and Resources. Tony Attwood.; 5. A Mother’s Journey to Save Her Family. Kitty Dubin.; 6. A Father’s Journey to Protect His Son: A Legal Perspective. Larry Dubin.; 7. Sex Education and Interventions. Isabelle Henault.
Safety Skills for asperger women
Life with Asperger Syndrome can be a challenge at the best of times, and trials and tribulations that neurotypicals take in their stride can leave Aspies perplexed and unsure of how to solve problems and keep themselves safe, both physically and emotionally. Liane Holliday Willey explores the daily pitfalls that females with AS may face, and suggests practical and helpful ways of overcoming them. The focus throughout is on keeping safe, and this extends to travel, social awareness, and general life management. With deeply personal accounts from the author’s own experiences, this book doesn’t shy away from difficult issues such as coping with bullying, self-harm, depression, and eating disorders. The positive and encouraging advice gives those with AS the guidance to safeguard themselves from emotional and physical harm, and live happy and independent lives.
Luke Jackson’s unabridged and sparkling sequel to his best-selling user guide to adolescence Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome is the must-read handbook for teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum. With devastating clarity, Luke focuses on the pitfalls involved in navigating the transition to adulthood, and the challenges of adult life. He covers everything from bullying and drugs to socialising, sex, negotiating relationships, and finding and keeping your first job.
Spectrum Women: Walking to the beat of autism
Barb Cook and 14 other autistic women describe life from a female autistic perspective, and present empowering, helpful and supportive insights from their personal experience for fellow autistic women. Michelle Garnett’s comments validate and expand the experiences described from a clinician’s perspective, and provide extensive recommendations.
ASD and Relationships
Advocacy Groups
A4 – Autism Asperger Advocacy Australia
A4 is a systemic advocacy organisation that advocates nationally in Australia on behalf of people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including Asperger’s Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).
ASPECT -Autism Spectrum Australia
Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) is Australia’s leading service provider for autism and other disabilities. Our specialised, evidence informed schools program is the largest in the world, with additional services that include information and advice, diagnostic assessments, behaviour support, parent and family support, and adult programs. We share evidence-informed Aspect practice and applied research nationwide.
ASPECT: Teen Social group 13 yrs+
ASteen is a Sydney-based parent-coordinated social group for teenagers aged 13 and over, with autism. ASteen aims to provide a safe, family-friendly environment for teens who can communicate and interact with others and are seeking friendship and development of social skills.ASPECT: Adult Social Group
Our supports give you the confidence and skills to live successfully on your own terms and enjoy activities and connections within your local community. Our support services have been designed to help you improve self-confidence, emotional resilience, physical wellbeing and extend networks and connections within the community.
We offer a personalised approach to working with you, creating opportunities that are shaped by your choices and the life you want to live. We place individuals and families at the centre of what we do and develop strong partnerships with you, your family and your community to achieve the outcomes that are meaningful for you.
The Autism Community Network (ACN) is a charity focused around building a strong community of support for those impacted by autism. We use our combined knowledge and experiences as carers or individuals in the ‘autism community’ to help each other.
We now have more than 1,700 families who come together on-line and 17 LGAs across Sydney and regional NSW to create a society where people with autism and their families can lead rich, full and rewarding lives.
We support the needs of our community through varied ways.
- Provide support groups, social groups, kids clubs and information days
- Use volunteers with lived experiences to run most of our activities, people who understand the needs and issues first hand
- Connect people through Secret Status Facebook pages to communicate with the network, on a local area level, connecting with their local communities
- Connect people through ‘Common Ground’ groups, where they can support each other when facing similar circumstances. ie. parents with daughters on the spectrum, ADHD, or adults children.
- Connect people from same cultural or language backgrounds for mutual support
- Our website contains no ads and services or businesses listed are member recommended from personal experiences.
- Member login to enable booking in to events, update their own information and recommend services
- We promote credible research projects to enable people to support those working to create a better, more inclusive future for our children.
Autism Advisory and Support Service,
The Autism Advisory and Support Service (AASS) provides a range of services to support, advocate, help, educate and guide families who have a family member with Autism as well as the greater community. Relying heavily on donations and grants, AASS have proudly accomplished the opening of an Autism Community House in Liverpool, the only 24 Hour Autism Hotline in the southern hemisphere, Individual and group therapy, School outreach, Professional Development, Support Groups, Social Groups, Parent Workshops and lots more. We understand firsthand, how difficult it can be navigating a diagnosis, services, education and social events for our beautiful children.
ASPIA Asperger Syndrome Partner Information Australia Inc
Mutual acknowledgement and understanding of the Asperger marriage/life partnership experience for partners of adults with (or suspected of having) Asperger syndrome
ASPIA is a Sydney-based support group and information source for those who are involved in or interested in marriage and long-term relationships with adults with Asperger syndrome (or suspected of having Asperger syndrome).
We host a regular Partner Support Group Meeting in Burwood, Sydney, on the second Saturday of the month and in 2020 meetings will be held quarterly on 8 February, 9 May, 8 August, 14 November.
Families of Adults Affected by Asperger’s Syndrome
FAAAS was created not to pass judgment but to fulfil a definite need. Our team works diligently to provide the most up to date information and research and to provide a safe and non judgmental place for those who live and interact with Adults with Asperger’s Syndrome.
Working towards developing sustainable partnerships with like-minded individuals and organizations across the globe, to drive the neurodiversity movement further than ever before, which includes supporting projects and collaborations to ensure these succeed.
