Sex, Sexuality and the Autism Spectrum by Wendy Lawson


Sex, Sexuality and the Autism Spectrum
Title : Sex, Sexuality and the Autism Spectrum
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 1843102846
ISBN-10 : 9781843102847
Language : English
Format Type : Paperback
Number of Pages : 176
Publication : First published December 20, 2004

Written by an 'insider', an openly gay autistic adult, Wendy Lawson writes frankly and honestly about autism, sex and sexuality. In her new book, she draws upon her own experience to examine the implications of being autistic on relationships, sex and sexuality. Having discussed subjects such as basic sex education and autism, the author goes further to explore the wider issues of interpersonal relationships, same sex attraction, bisexuality and transgender issues. She also examines the unspoken rules that exist between people in relationships and explains why these rules can be difficult and confusing for people with autism. This book will give courage and information to adults with autism or Asperger Syndrome and provide essential insights to those living and working with them.

Sex, Sexuality and the Autism Spectrum Reviews

  • Anirudha

    Great book if you're autistic and a teenager. Pass if you're older because the book is like autism and sex ed 101.

  • Cynthia Kim

    I’ve been searching for a resource that gives a sensitive, honest, respectful treatment of sex and sexuality for autistic people and this is the closest I’ve come to a solid reference. Sex, Sexuality and the Autism Spectrum is a good guide to many of the issues that arise during puberty, adolescence and beyond. Which isn’t to say it’s only a book for teens or young adults. Author Wendy Lawson spends a great deal of time talking about all aspects of developing and maintaining relationships, beginning with the most basic questions of how relationships are formed and how to know when another person is interested in a partner relationship. She also addresses key issues for autistic individuals like consent, safety, disclosure and communication.

    Unlike other books I’ve read about ASD and sexuality, she takes a positive approach to same sex relationships and transgender identity. The only aspect that wasn’t touched in detail was asexuality as an identity. In spite of the title, this book has a heavy emphasis on relationships and doesn’t address some of the more practical aspects of sex in the detail some autistic persons might need. For that, I’d recommend pairing it with a good basic sex education guide.

  • Sarah

    Overall, this book doesn't seem too helpful compared to other books in this category. It's a lot of personal stories from the author's perspective. It's too general to be a case study, but too personal to be an objective assessment. Its unique only in that it's a coming out story for someone with an ASD. If you need that specifically, then it might be helpful, but the experience could be comprehended fairly easily from combining neuro-typical coming out stories with anecdotes about the romantic experiences of persons with ASD, regardless of sexual orientation.