The XX Factor: What women really think.

Autistic, and Can't Get a Date

Willa, if you think dating in the Internet age is hard, try dating while autistic. This is a snippet from the autobiography of Quinn Bradlee, son of Washington royalty Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn. (Here is a fuller excerpt.) The book is very moving on the subject of his troubles navigating relationships with women, particularly his powerhouse of a mother, and the average potential date. It's written through the eye of a mildly autistic person but speaks to the Everykid:

I seem to have the worst luck with women no matter how hard I try. I feel they're picking up some vibe from me that says I can't handle a relationship, or I'm not mature enough to be in a relationship. Whatever it is, I am apparently doing something wrong. I've taken and followed all of the advice my friends and my parents have given me about dating, but it hasn't quite worked out for me yet.

I have trouble with reading cues and I can never tell if girls like me sexually. If you're having an intimate friendly conversation and a woman is smiling and you're making her laugh, then you think that maybe it's possible to take it to the next level. But, typically, the day after that kind of thing would happen with a girl, I wouldn't hear back from her.