Population numbers. Frustration finding other aspies.

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Alright so I've moved to Toronto a city with 6 million in it's metro all in the name of meeting other aspies. Of course there are other things I like about the city, transit, skyscrapers, and other things related to my interests.

But after being here for just a few weeks, I do feel like I will be here for the rest of my life. Does anyone else feel that extroverted aspies belong in cities?

I mean deep in my heart I'd prefer to live somewhere small but I can't see that happening unless there emerges a small city with atleast 10 percent of the population being aspies.

So does anyone else feel frustrated by the lack of contact with aspies?

How are you trying to find them, exactly?

I went to meet up.com

But there are aspies from toronto from here, as well as skype, and any other channel I can find.

I believe I understand OP's point.

If we use the (somewhat controversal) 1 percent figure, a city of 6 Million would have roughly 60,000 Aspies. Assuming that 35% are outside the traditional social interaction ages, That would leave 39,000 Aspies in the metro area.

This is one of the reasons offline activism and offline social groups are so important. Offline activism, such as a pro-neurodiversity fundraiser, to build awareness, and offline social groups to attract Aspies.

Edited to rewrite a sentence to properly reflect my meaning.

Last edited by AgentPalpatine on 23 Apr 2013, 1:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Yeah that 1 percent number is also much lower when you consider the lack of actual diagnosis support, community awareness, and other cultural barriers.

My guess the number were dealing with is much closer to 0.1 percent.

A 10 percent "yield" rate would be higher than some comparable US populations. Still, even if we accept 10 percent of 39,000 at 3,900, that still leaves 3,900 people who might want Aspie cultural experences.

It got me thinking that if there were aspie colleges or colleges that gave aspie tailored programs it'd give a focal point, for aspie to meet up.

Considering most people generally relocate for school in either scenario, it'd give the most mobile of people a reason to group together.

Yes, but can we really do something like that considering how diverse we are to begin with, and how diverse our financial/other needs are? Overprotective families probably play a factor in lack of independence, as well, along with other things. I should go to bed now, brain not working properly anymore.

I think that as Aspie-aligned housing and Aspie-aligned businesses start to develop, that would make it easier for people to group together.

Agreed. I wish this kind of thing moved along faster, though. I don't see much progress having happened over the years, aside from forming a small social community IRL (and stuff like Autreat, of which there isn't even one in Canada).

There are colleges that have aspie specific programs. In Texas there is Midwestern in Wichita and university of north Texas in Denton. I have heard that Rutgers has a program too.

Meh Toronto is ideal, we have a mobile demographic, its the only aspie friendly city of size in canada with vancouver being overprices and montreal suffering from strong language based problems.

You could do a google search for aspie support groups in toronto. That seemed to work for me, but now I just have to get the courage to go. Or you could start a group on meetup and see what happens.

Yes, but the little Meetup groups are nothing compared to a community being talked about here. I think that's the main issue. It's hard to integrate yourself within autistic people; it's a once-in-a-while thing for most.

This will be my first year at Autreat, but I can only make one day of it this year.

Forming an offline social community is a major first step, when you look at the level of the social exclusion that many posters have received over the years.

I found a posting on auties.org for a "Friendship Group" in Toronto...it's a really old post but maybe something to look into just in case it still exists? Here's the link, if you want to check it out: http://www.auties.org/2010/05/26/autism-friendly-activities/