On 01/10/2013 10:04 PM, Emily Monroe wrote:
(I do realize that Asperger's and other afflictions along the autism
spectrum are supposed to be somewhat gender-linked.)
As I mentioned to Mike off-list, in earlier drafts I actually do mention
that I was the typical computer obsessed nerd -- and I can identify with
many asperger-type characteristics. However, this is a topic requiring
much care so as not to demonize or pathologize, so I didn't engage it
since I didn't think it was essential to understanding the gender gap
problem in free culture. I can point out that typical geek
identity/behavior can be alienating without conjecture about its source.
Similarly, in the context of the openness of these communities, I can
claim "difficult people" are alienating without conjecture as to what
(if any) anti-social personality disorder is present.
That said, something that affected my thinking on the geek/autism/gender
issue was that the differences between genders might not be as great as
we originally thought, or, it's more complicated than we thought.
Recommended intervention for children often includes early and intensive
social skills therapy. Some argue girls *already* experience this simply
as being raised and expected to perform as girls. We are *just* starting
to study [1] the relationship between genetics, socialization, and the
presentations of autistic behavior in males and females (e.g., the topic
of "special interests").
[1]:
http://nhregister.com/articles/2012/09/14/news/doc5053f7b0f172f814146475.txt
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