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A group of high functioning [[Asperger's Syndrome|autistic]] men and women | A group of high functioning [[Asperger's Syndrome|autistic]] men and women was evaluated and compared with healthy controls to assess their sexual and relationship desires and success/failure to achieve those desires. | ||
44.6% of autistic men were found to still virgins among a sample with the average age being 35.7 years. | 44.6% of autistic men were found to still virgins among a sample, with the average age being 35.7 years. | ||
Autistic men | Autistic men masturbated more and have a greater desire for a relationship than normal neurotypical (NT) men in the sample. However, only 16% of autistic men were in a relationship, while 82% of NT men were in a relationship. NT men were 5x more likely to be in a relationship than their [[Asperger's Syndrome|autistic]] counterparts. | ||
Autism did not so | Autism did not so significantly reduce women's ability to find relationships with men, as 46% of women were able to have relationships, while only 16% of men were. | ||
<span style="font-size:125%">'''Discussion:'''</span> | |||
The lower sexual success of [[Asperger's Syndrome|autistic men]] as compared to women may be since autism reduces an individual's capacity for emotional interaction, but normal men crave emotional interaction less than normal women, so this will disproportionately impair an autistic man's attempts to find a relationship vs. an autistic woman's. It could also be that autistic men are more likely to be shunned then autistic women, either because the behavioral traits of autism are less apparent in females compared to males inherently, or autistic women are more effective at 'masking' their autism and behaving in a Neurotypical fashion compared to autistic males. | |||
Autistic men | These women are also likely seen as having an inherent social value due to their innate [[reproductive success|reproductive resources]] that autistic men do not have. Due to women's tendency towards a passive courtship style, it would also be significantly easier for an autistic woman to enter into a relationship as men are expected to initiate courtship (at least formally) and actively pursue the woman. | ||
Men are also generally much less sexually selective than women across a variety of traits, so one would expect neurotypicality and emotional expressiveness to be an aspect of this. Autistic women may also be perceived as being easier to control and even exploit by potential male partners, with Sedgwick et al. (2019) finding that autistic women reported greater experiences of exploitation in their sexual relationships than the Neurotypical (NT) women examined by the researchers. Interestingly enough, in this study, autistic women were equally as likely to be married, in a relationship, or have children compared to the Neurotypical women examined. | |||
Autistic men also exhibited a greater number of paraphilias, which are considered "socially taboo." These paraphilias which appear to be part of their disease state would likely further compound their difficulties in entering and maintaining romantic relationships. | |||
<span style="font-size:125%">'''Quotes:'''</span> | <span style="font-size:125%">'''Quotes:'''</span> |
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