How Aspie friendly is it where you live?

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I live in Kentucky and hate it here. All the rabid hillbillies can't stand anyone he is even slightly different than they are, and people always expect you to make small talk and eye contact with them. Its not quite as bad in the city, but it still sucks. Besides that Kentucky ranks last in % w/ a high school degree (60%), 45th in life expectancy (73 years), and has the highest heart disease & cancer rates in the US. And that's an average, in reality you either live in a very rich and snooty area around Lexington or Louisville, or a very poor area in the rural parts of the state

It ain't too much more prettier here in Eastern Virginia, coldhearted, prejudiced, as*hole, bastard Nts.

It's alright where I live. People are tolerant and understanding. I don't get abuse about it, if that's what you mean. I'm sure if I lived in the city it might be more difficult for me.

Ooooooh.....Not at all.

I live in Oregon, in the back of beyond, and we have a couple of Aspies that meet once a month. I work as a customer service specialist ( on the phone, where I don't have to look at you and you have to rely on TALKING ENGLISH WORDS only to me. (I do well when I put people into MY realm of expertise.)
But I get the ol' fish eye from my co workers, lots of folks are intimidated by me, I don't remember peoples faces, of course but I can't remember their names either until they speak, so they think I just don't like them. I am really poor at social speak so they pointedly ignore me thinking, probably, that I am just too good for them.
So I eat alone, take breaks alone, only one not invited to parties, weddings, social stuff. Makes me the odd duck. My supervisor knows that I am AS, but I can tell she has NO idea what that means, or she forgets because I have been mainstreamed all my life and have a patina of 'normalness'.

I remember when I was first diagnosed, I was so worried that I wasn't going to be able to hide my AS from people.

Roger N. Meyer of Portland, OR happened to reassure me by saying "don't worry! they already KNOW!" and I realized that I could not hide myself, anyway!
Merle

Could somebody define "aspie friendly" for me?

Tim

It's pretty Aspie friendly where I live. Langley is a very multicultural town, with diverse cultures of many types, anyways ranging from ethnic to disability, with many different cultures in between.

Not many people in Ireland and other countries, actually know/understand Asperger's. But if you are referring as too how friendly they are to me, I would have to say it's an even balance. Some are very accepting of AS and others are just plain ignorant.

I don't think anyone in my town would even give a s**t. They wouldn't run you down and say (in my best Bam Margera impression) "Look. There goes that ret*d!" But neither would they even bother talking to you about AS. No one really gives a crap about anything in my town.

I don't think they know or care much about aspie. But they are enraged by lack of eye contact.

Honestly, people seem to be accepting enough around here... Heh... I don't know what more to say. I'm the only person I know with AS in real life, but that doesn't cause people to treat me any differently than other people.

I was at my sis house in CA. A relative I'd not met b4 asks me where I live. he sez he's been there. I ask what he thought of it. He said he did not like it. I ask why. He says: "
the people." I ask what about the people. He says: "They are wierd!"
It is pretty As friendly here,
I am not the strangest person around
Most of 'em are not hugely photogenic too
I fit in okay

The only AS-friendly place is WP.

The NTs everywhere tend to think they must A) feel sorry for me and B) take care of me. This is alright unless they talk to me or touch me. I have limited contact with the outside world as my husband is a great filter. If he's with me, I can relax because he sees the looks, etc. and puts a halt to it. He won't tolerate anyone being mean to me. He also won't tolerate them touching me because he knows I hate it.

At work, I get to see the NTs in action because my filter is removed. This happens when I take classes as well. Here's the typical scenario.

"Have you eaten?"
"No."
"Well, we are going down to eat. Why don't you come with us?"
<insert instant anxiety here> "No.......thanks."
"Come on."
"No, thank you." <very decisive tone>
"Well, what are you going to do? Are you going to eat anything? Are you going to eat with anybody? I worry about you. Come down with us."
<insert irritation here> "I said no. I don't want to go eat with you all. I will let you know if I change my mind."
<hurt human look> "I was just trying to be nice."

<repeat this tomorrow and every day ad infinitum>

Here's the other scenario.

"I brought you coffee."

"Thanks." <still working, not looking up. take cup and drink>

"I thought you might like it."

"Thanks." <still drinking. wondering why they are still here>

"Okay. Well, I'm going back to work now."

"Okay." <still drinking. haven't looked up>

<repeat this scenario ad infinitum>


If one NT leaves, another takes his place. This usually happens with guys, rarely with women. Oh, I'm forgetting. They order things for my desk. If I leave my watch laying around because the battery has died, they go get a battery put in it. If my car needs servicing, they take it for me. It's all very strange. I bring out the nuturer in everyone.

i find that most cities are friendlier than small towns. college campuses, particularly liberal or artsy-related ones, and the towns they are in, are more accepting of differences. Maybe you could look at where gay people are accepted, and assume that the general population there might be kinder towards other types of differences.

JBM, I am from Louisville originally, still go there all the time to see my family. I moved to Bowling Green to go to WKU and have stayed here since because it is much better than Louisville. I know what you are saying since I grew up there and such. Some places in KY are unfriendly and not very tolerant, but I do have to say that BG has been very good to me and mine. My 6 year old son has AS and the school system has been mostly wonderful. My son has been accepted by all, of course he is only 6 and we still have lots to experience but the people here seem much more laid back and accepting than in the city, so I wouldn't blame ALL of the state. I think that I found the city (Louisville) worse because of the "rich snooty" people (who I think all went to school with me) and they were all such spoiled brats! Here in BG there isn't quite so much of a difference between everyone, but I am afraid the "hillbilly" part isn't much better (sigh). But we do have the Kelley Autism Center here which is AWESOME!