What do you know about sex, relationships, and dating in the Autistic community? What are some stigmas/assumptions made about them that disabled or neurodivergent people face about this topic? by Jamie Voytsekhovska

redbirdpoker — 2025-03-04 00:13:28 UTC

An assumption is that we don't care about sex or are sexual beings. Sex and disability often makes people very uncomfortable!

2025-03-04 00:13:43 UTC

“ Love on the spectrum” showed me what dating and relationships looks like.

2025-03-04 00:14:01 UTC

Many autistic people are in the queer and trans community. Autistic people experience variety of sexual interest (just like non-autistic) from hypersexuality to asexuality. Stigmas and assumptions include thinking that autistic people don't know themselves well enough to know their own SOGI experience and that they aren't at all interested in sex.

autistic people of course want the same emotional connections and support as everyone else, it just might appear and be expressed differently

2025-03-04 00:14:03 UTC

Assumption: Autistic individuals don't have romantic desires like neurotypical individuals.

2025-03-04 00:14:04 UTC

Stigmas/assumptions

2025-03-04 00:14:21 UTC

Autistic people can't be in relationships because they don't understand feelings and emotions.

2025-03-04 00:14:39 UTC

Conversations haven't historically been around these topics. People are often shocked that autistic people are multidimensional and need connections.

2025-03-04 00:15:35 UTC

It's not really something I have contemplated deeply before, and the article we read for today's class was really illuminating about how sensory differences can influence the autistic person's experience.

Relationships

2025-03-04 00:15:38 UTC

I have a friend whose two sons are autistic. They have found supportive relationships with people who are also autistic.

2025-03-04 00:15:55 UTC

Assumptions about aversion to physical touch that may affect how neurodivergent have to interact with potential partners