Aspergirls

Rudy Simone, also known as Artemisia, is the author of 6 best-selling books on Asperger Syndrome as well as fiction books. Artemisia has lectured at Autism/Asperger conferences around the world and is also an award-winning singer/songwriter. She is based in the US.

• Foreword by Liane Holliday Willey. Introduction. 1. Imagination, Self-taught Reading and Savant Skills, and Unusual Interests. 2. Why Smart Girls Sometimes Hate School. 3. Sensory Overload. 4. Stimming, and What We Do When We're Happy. 5. On Blame and Internalizing Guilt. 6. Gender Roles and Identity. 7. Puberty and Mutism. 8. Attraction, Dating, Sex, and Relationships. 9. Friendships and Socializing. 10. Higher Learning. 11. Employment and Career. 12. Marriage and Cohabitation. 13. Having Children. 14. Ritual and Routine, Logical and Literal Thinking, Bluntness, Empathy, and Being Misunderstood. 15. Diagnosis, Misdiagnosis, and Medication. 16. Depression Meltdowns, PTSD, and More About Meds. 17. Temper Meltdowns. 18. Burning Bridges. 19. Stomach Issues and Autism. 20. Getting Older on the Spectrum. 21. On Whether AS is a Disability or a Gift, and Advice from Aspergirls to Aspergirls. Additional Tools for Parents. 22. Give Your Aspergirl some BALLS: Belief, Acceptance, Love, Like, and Support. 23. Thoughts and Advice from Parents of Aspergirls. Appendix. List of Female Asperger Syndrome Traits. Summary of Some Main Female/Male Differences. References and Resources.

Ruby Simone's approach is hands-on, and her writing style is easy to read. The chapters are short and give good tips to woman and girls with AS and the people closest to them. I don't know that I believe all the holistic stuff, but I think this book should be required reading for woman and girls who have been diagnosed with AS.