Fast growing Yahoo group for aspies in London, UK

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A bustling Yahoo group for female and male high functioning aspies living in and around London. We have had 2 very successful meet ups in London, everyone has really enjoyed them. Lots of us are in our 20s and 30s. We hold social events based more around everyday activities e.g. meeting in a pub, going out for meal, going to the theatre, going to a club, or going bowling etc.

PLEASE NOTE: Our group is for aspies (people with Asperger's and High Functioning Autism), not autistics.

Don't delay, join today, you'll probably really enjoy it!

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/as ... derground/

Activity within 7 days:
7 New Members
Description

A group open only to high functioning aspies in London and surrounding counties, to discuss ideas, support each other, and occasionally meet up socially.

We are for aspies at the highest end of the spectrum, we are those people who you would not suspect Asperger's on first impressions. A need has arisen for a group like this after experiences of members at some of the other London Asperger's meetings. We found a pattern - a distinct group of us "high achievers" feel held back in the way we want to share experiences and learn off each other.

There is also an increasing belief that there are many females out there who are either too shy to talk about their Asperger's, or that haven't been diagnosed. Many have been scared away from male dominated groups or the fact the traits are less socially accepted amongst womenkind. HERE IS A PLACE YOU WILL NOT BE JUDGED. Humankind works best with a mix.

We often get the worst of both worlds because our needs are totally invisible to the uniformed person, yet most people in wider society think we are lying when we preach very specific issues. The result is most likely being often misunderstood in employment or educational settings. Because of the barrier of others recognising our differences, many of us have been diagnosed much later in life. Some of us are still awaiting an official assessment or have "self" diagnosed.

Many of us have jobs or have gone to University, but life is far from simple. Here we can help each other better ourselves and find our place in society. We also arrange social events in London such as bowling or chilling out in a bar listening to House music. Just everyday things. Our own space to relax AND involving the community around us. Members are encouraged to be active and help create a close knit group. You may even make some good friends.

And why can't autistics join? I thought humankind works best with a mix? FYI, you can be autistic and have a job and fit in. I personally don't think the traits are less socially accepted among females than males. With males they're just more ignored than with females. Usually, males: traits = shunning; females: traits = bullied. That's not to say I think females are more bullied or cop more BS. Nor do I think being bullied is absolutely a bad thing. You can take a lot of positives away from being bullied. Sad to say, I don't think your group is as open and unjudgemental as you're preaching. You're human, you're judgemental by nature.

Danlo I work with Kahless and I have raised with him before over the use of language he has with how he describes his groups but this is something me and him will have to discuss in person another time, I need to emphasise that his intentions are positive and with good will and not to think he is going to exclude people over a label.
He clearly is worried that he may have individuals come to the group who have alot of problems maybe besides being on the autistic spectrum or who maybe the activities the group are patricipating in may be inappropriate or not to the taste off an individual who is joining. That is something maybe he needs to become more confident with which can only come from trainning and support of his peers like myself who work with these people for a living (and i am diagnosed aspergers for the record). He is a full time IT student and I think its very good of him to take his time out of his university course to be able to organise this group, when you do activities like this outside of your course it can be quite stressful and you are always potentially looking to minimise any complication that could arise (speaking as someone who also organises groups as well)

It is nothing personal to those who are autistics and infact i am sure he will potentially have mid range autistics join his group. It is actually very hard to figure out where someone lies on the autistic spectrum at first impressions I have come across plenty of mid range autistics who would fit in very easily with their peers in mainstream education and the work place as well as social situations that any other person in the general public would engage in.

I hope that has cleared up any misunderstand here I could see you potentially were taking offense to the way he put it across and I needed to intervene here to clarify things.

Ah right. Sorry, Kahless, good luck with your group. I suppose he's right, though. It's a bad idea. You never make friends when you barely talk. They wouldn't get anything out of it anyway.

Dear Danlo,
The wording, description, and criteria for a group like the one above are never an easy choice. I don't mean to leave anyone out - as Laz states, no bad intentions. But after much thought I found no other way to word it an a manner that would be acceptable to those of us right up at the top end of the scale, at the same time preventing the harmony of the group being affected by individuals with a lesser understanding of the importance of a clean, friendly, and stable group. My motivation for such wording stems from some of the local aspie/autistic groups in London that have been 'hijacked' by individuals with a lesser understanding of the world, and almost always people like us have then left to find other groups (or start themselves) that cater for the crowd who just want to share experiences in a calm, relaxed manner. If I could think of another way of promoting the group, whilst ensuring the interests of current members are met (who joined the group soley for the reason that it's for very high functioning types), and not upsetting one or two others, I would. But experience shows there can never be true utopia as some people think. Each to their own.
The Yahoo group stated has 62 members, each one has been carefully vetted. If you would like to join, please do. We've had some great social events, and everyone feels comforable with the other members. I try to keep it as a place where everyone knows each other, nobody should feel there are hidden corners with unexpected suprises.