Thoughts on Rudy Simone?

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I know there are a few topics on here regarding her work, however I wondered whether you think the information she gives is generally accurate?

I ask this as I am trying to figure out whether my problems can be explained by aspergers, and I see that I don't seem to match the usual male descriptions of males with aspergers but I do seem to match every description I have read of a female with it. So I have read a few of Rudy's books and looked at her youtube videos. I can highly relate to what she says although I am not keen on her writing style (just personal preference I guess, as I prefer more formally written books as opposed to informal). I have read reviews on amazon who knock the fact that she doesn't provide many references within her work which then makes her work sound more like her opinion rather than evidence-based. I have also read a review claiming that Rudy Simone has not been formally diagnosed with aspergers. I suspect this is a myth seeing as Rudy's work seems to be well respected by professionals such as Tony Attwood, but I just wanted to check - does anyone here know whether she has been formally diagnosed?

Not that someone not formally diagnosed doesn't have it, I just feel like I can get a more accurate idea of whether I have it if I can get information from people who almost definitely have it, rather than info from people who are unsure or who may have ADHD or social anxiety etc as opposed to rather than in addition to ASD, as then it becomes unclear whether I'm matching the symptoms of aspergers, or whether I'm matching the symptoms of someone who thinks they have aspergers but may have something else, if that makes sense.

There has been less than 5 formal studies done of women with Aspergers - this is the primary reason nobody is really giving references or raw data, because there is next to none on the subject. This is one of the primary reasons you're only seeing Rudy's work so far. What she has written was written before those studies were done as far as I know. Yet most of her stuff has proven accurate in terms if how women present and cope differently when compared to those studies.

Reading aspergirls, I found it correct on the basics but very raw. Not enough data. Nowhere near enough covering the wide variety, problems, solutions, ways of thinking, etc. the basics were true but I did not relate to it easily.

A much better book is my opinion is her book "22 things a woman with Asperger's syndrome wants her partner to know" or something similar. That was highly accurate and very relatable. Much less raw, offered more solutions and is a very handy guidebook for both you and your loved ones, whether they be a partner, family member or close friend.

Also Tania Marshall is releasing a book or may have done so already called aspiengirls which looks like it will be great. Perhaps check out her blog.

The girl which the curly hair also has 2 books / comics which are great and extremely concise. If you like easy to understand material, hers is great.

A little off topic, but this study I found is REALLY interesting:
http://www.medicaldaily.com/autistic-gi ... -disorders

it talks about researches conducted on gender diferences regarding autism.
For instance, in one study they found out teachers are 6 times more likely to "diagnose" a boy with aspergers than a girl, but when an autism questionnaire were held out with the same children individually with the teachers and parentes they confirmed the revolutionarily suggested 2:1 gender ratio!

Those aren't new, just not talked about because people apart from psychologists who specialise in Aspergers, or in Women with Aspergers,have no idea. A regular clinical psych that you might go to for a diagnosis probably wouldn't have a clue. Teachers, health professionals etc don't either.

This was why I started the Resources sticky at the top of the page. People are finally starting to study and interview and diagnose, but the information isn't freely available to the general public.

So if anyone finds anything noteworthy, please add it to that thread so it doesn't get buried in the general sub forum.

Thanks for the replies.

Linatet - I shall check out that other topic you made


Kjas - I think I shall buy aspiengirls when it comes out I take it Tania Marshall does not have Asperger's herself? It would be good to read the perspective of a specialist who isn't contaminated with very personal experience and opinion of having the disorder themselves, and see if that does match up with Rudy's work. I think I had come across a list of characteristics in AS women by Tania earlier in my research which I could relate to, but I hadn't realised she was bringing out a book. The girl with the curly hair I wanted to get but I hate reading books that are not in real book form and the paperback seems pretty expensive, I shall see. I have actually just finished reading the '22 things' book; seeing as I wasn't keen on Aspergirls I wouldn't have bought another Rudy Simone book except for the fact that the 22 things was basically the only book of its kind, so I bought it. As you mention, I actually did much prefer over Aspergirls - I still found her writing style irritating at times but you're right that it was more practical and useful.

ASPartOfMe - Thanks so much for pointing out that Tania does online assessments! I will definitely email her to enquire. I have been to my GP to ask about a referral for an assessment for autism, and he has referred me to a psychiatrist who he says may know where to refer me. However I wanted a back-up plan for if it all falls through, especially with me being female. I struggled to find any private autism specialists local to where I am, however I also wouldn't want to pay for private unless they had good experience of females on the spectrum. If a specialist who hasn't had much experience with female AS characteristics gave a non-diagnosis, I would question it and therefore it wouldn't be worth the money. However with someone like Tania, I'd feel more comfortable in trusting the decision that if she gave a non-diagnosis with all her experience, then her decision would probably be accurate, and therefore worth the money.

I bought and read Aspergirls because I was under the impression that it was well researched, progressive, and contained useful advice. It was marketed in a way that led me to believe it was all of these things. Unfortunately I was very disappointed, and honestly offended by some of the content.

Was Aspergirls written before Simone's other book? Like some of you, I found that its contents were vague generalizations at best. I realize that little study has been done on us, but I think this could have been avoided. However, I'm not sure I would even trust sociological or other studies performed on us, since research in social subjects is often highly methodologically flawed and even designed to reinforce the authors' prejudices. the fact that Attwood and other self-styled "autism experts" endorse this book strikes me as suspicious rather than reassuring. I trust honest accounts by other autistic individuals far more than academic research on this particular subject.

What I found offensive about the book was the ableist commentary and themes it presented. For example, in one chapter, Simone suggests that an autistic woman's partner meet with her parents to discuss her and "know what they are getting into", which to me seems like an incredible level of paternalism and infantilization. It was especially troubling since many of us experienced abuse and trauma at the hands of our parents - she was essentially suggesting that their control over us be maintained into adulthood via forcing the partner or spouse into a domineering role. Other statements were made in the text about how we should be spending our time and energy on passing for neurotypical, etc., with little reflection on the damage it might cause.

Simone was also very negative about the subject of children and families, based on her own experience as a single mother. While I do appreciate that family life is not for everyone (just as with neurotypicals), many autistic women make excellent parents and partners and there is no need to discourage those who want that life. IMO autistic parents do a better job understanding and parenting autistic kids anyway, and they are more likely to have them.

It seemed possible to me that Simone planned and wrote the book a relatively short time after her diagnosis. It would account for the ableism present in the book, particularly if she hadn't yet happened upon ASAN or any kind of autism positivity and had only heard from the catastrophizing, dehumanizing "autism parent"/"autism expert" set.

Basically, if you're looking for more perspective on your own neurology and identity, I would highly recommend that you keep reading on Wrongplanet and try to find some blogs and other resources by and for autistic women and others. Autistic Women's Network is good, as is Autistic Hoya, Julia Bascom's blog/Loud Hands Project, the thinking person's guide to autism, and many others. A blog called Everyday Asperger's is no longer being updated, but contains a lot of information from a female aspie author (yes, including checklists!).

All of these resources contain both greater quantity and quality of content; you can read and see where you match up and where you might fit neurologically. Above all, look at the subjective experiences of autistic individuals and see if they are similar to yours. What I found when I did this was that my experiences, thoughts and feelings matched those of others for the very first time in my entire life. And trust your own judgment! Nobody knows your mind and experiences better than you, no matter what fancy credentials they hold.

firewhiskey - Thanks for your detailed thoughts on this. I will post my thoughts specifically about Aspergirls on the separate topic Linatet made for that book - it didn't strike me as having ablest themes as such (maybe I hadn't noticed, it being the very first book on autism I read), yet it still struck me as not empowering for other reasons I shall explain. I think Simone has written several other books but yes the Aspergirls was written in 2010, before the 22 things books in 2012 (I hear she has written a 22 things to know directed at the partner of an AS male too).

You could have a point there, regarding the fact it be suspicious rather than reassuring that Attwood has raved about Simone's work. I wondered if you could explain exactly what you mean when you refer to them as 'self-styled' 'autism experts'? I am still undecided about Attwood as part of me feels like he sounds decent and like he knows what he's talking about, yet at times part of me wonders whether he is over-diagnosing. However part of this thought may be due to my surprise to find that what he and Simone describes as female autism so accurately describes me and my problems, when I had had no idea that that's what autism was. I got Aspergirls originally when my boyfriend had pointed out that my problematic outbursts looked very similar to the severely autistic childrens' meltdowns we saw on a documentary, and half jokingly said 'maybe you have autism!'. I thought it was a bit of an 'out-there' unlikely idea until I read more and more about the different ways and intensities in which it can appear, and how it seemed to cover so many of my other problems too.

Thanks for the blog suggestions, I am checking them out, Autistic Hoya so far I have found very interesting and informative.

Hi all, just found this forum while surfing the net. I wanted to let everyone know that I am a psychologist specializing in diagnosing high functioning ASDs in adults. I practice in Southern California (Torrance).

My interest in this came very much due to Rudy Simone and Tania Marshall's work. I discovered them through learning about a female with Asperger's with whom I am very close. I began to see this phenomena in many places, especially in the adolescent residential facility at which I worked. Many young women with ASD wrongfully diagnosed to very sad ends. I learned a lot in this facility, and now try to help those who have struggled with being misunderstood their whole lives.

If I can be of help to anyone, please don't hesitate to contact me.

I'm a new comer to the world of autism, my son got diagnosed last June. And as I see more and more of his autism traits in myself I read Rudy Simone's Aspergirls. I found some of it very interesting, but some of it patronising and some of it really quite disagreed with. Like how she says most people with Aspergers have savant skills, and if you don't then you're most likely learning impaired... Maybe I'm being too sensitive but I find that quite hurtful.

Anyways. I saw that in December 2014 she blogged that she nolonger identifies herself as having Aspergers because she's sorted out her gut issues with a gluten free diet. I wondered what you all think of this? Can people overcome their ASD diagnosis? As an advocate for women/girls with autism what does nolonger identifying her self as one say to her audience?

I'm perplexed by it. I'm finding it really difficult to understand!