On 01/10/2013 10:04 PM, Emily Monroe wrote: As I mentioned to Mike off-list, in earlier drafts I actually do mention that I was the typical computer obsessed nerd -- and I can identify with many asperger-type characteristics. However, this is a topic requiring much care so as not to demonize or pathologize, so I didn't engage it since I didn't think it was essential to understanding the gender gap problem in free culture. I can point out that typical geek identity/behavior can be alienating without conjecture about its source. Similarly, in the context of the openness of these communities, I can claim "difficult people" are alienating without conjecture as to what (if any) anti-social personality disorder is present. That said, something that affected my thinking on the geek/autism/gender issue was that the differences between genders might not be as great as we originally thought, or, it's more complicated than we thought. Recommended intervention for children often includes early and intensive social skills therapy. Some argue girls *already* experience this simply as being raised and expected to perform as girls. We are *just* starting to study [1] the relationship between genetics, socialization, and the presentations of autistic behavior in males and females (e.g., the topic of "special interests"). [1]: http://nhregister.com/articles/2012/09/14/news/doc5053f7b0f172f814146475.txt

On Fri, Jan 11, 2013 at 5:50 AM, Joseph Reagle <joseph.2011(a)reagle.org> wrote: I just had to say: +1. Thanks, -VAL -- Increasing the participation of women in open technology and culture http://adainitiative.org