how to ask this question

[Kuciwalker]

My girlfriend is really weird (in a pretty awesome way*). A few months ago I read about autism and realized she might be very-high-functioning autistic. Is there any possible way to confirm this without committing a massive faux pas?

*to elaborate: she's really smart (roughly my level math talent), and not antisocial by any means, but she consistently "creatively" misinterprets what people say, usually to hilarious effect. There's no way it's some sort of deliberate affection; in the 3 years I've known her, she's never really turned it off (though it doesn't happen nearly as much when we're talking about e.g. math homework), and she doesn't seem to be strongly aware of it.

[Naked Gents Rut]

Is there any possible way to confirm this without committing a massive faux pas?

No. Just forget about it.

[DaShi]

Sounds like she just developed it as a habit. Soooo, ask her about it!

[Jon Miller]

Eh, lots of smart people have eccentricities/etc.

JM

[Q Classic]

Ask her. If she's a high-functioning autistic, I think she wouldn't be offended.

[Naked Gents Rut]

What if she's not?

[DaShi]

And if she is offended, she wasn't the right girl for you anyway.

[Naked Gents Rut]

Yeah, that's it. A girl certainly isn't worth your time if she's offended that you think she's autistic...

[Agathon]

My girlfriend is really weird (in a pretty awesome way*). A few months ago I read about autism and realized she might be very-high-functioning autistic. Is there any possible way to confirm this without committing a massive faux pas?

Almost everyone who has recently read about autism suddenly diagnoses someone they know as autistic. You might be right, but not being a medical professional likely means you aren't.

In addition, the social aspects of autism and the current countercultural silliness that surrounds it means that it should probably be left alone by laypeople. It really is just speculation.

For someone who has a background in science, I thought you would not have fallen for the epidemic of amateur medical diagnosis. It's one thing to suspect it in yourself, but probably unethical to conduct an amateur diagnosis of another person.

[DaShi]

Don't listen to them! Give in to your curiosity and lack of social etiquette.

[Agathon]

Ask her. If she's a high-functioning autistic, I think she wouldn't be offended.

Oh for God's sake. There are a bunch of people who would like to be considered high functioning autistics who aren't. It's the same crap as people who pretend they are bisexual and aren't.

Any mental disease that has apparently cool or positive aspects to it along with exclusivity is subject to people wanting or pretending to have it. It's the worst kind of trendy health stupidity.

This is nothing more than the equivalent of emo kids who pretend they suffer from depression because they want to make themselves seem more interesting to others.

[Kuciwalker]

Almost everyone who has recently read about autism suddenly diagnoses someone they know as autistic. You might be right, but not being a medical professional likely means you aren't.

In addition, the social aspects of autism and the current countercultural silliness that surrounds it means that it should probably be left alone by laypeople. It really is just speculation.

For someone who has a background in science, I thought you would not have fallen for the epidemic of amateur medical diagnosis. It's one thing to suspect it in yourself, but probably unethical to conduct an amateur diagnosis of another person.

Oh, I know there's a high probability it's bull****.

[Agathon]

Oh, I know there's a high probability it's bull****.

Why did you ask then?

Did you want to start an autism thread?

[Kuciwalker]

That, and I'm bored.

[Kuciwalker]

All of the responses in this thread are pretty much exactly what I would have expected from each of the posters.