Saperstein '04 Discusses Dating on NPR
25 August 2014 Saperstein '04 Discusses Dating on NPR
Author, speaker, and autism advocate Jesse Saperstein 04 was recently interviewed on NPR regarding his new book, Getting a Life with Aspergers: Lessons Learned on the Bumpy Road to Adulthood. (Penguin Group U.S.A.), and what its like to date with Asperger syndrome. Saperstein was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, a mild form of autism, at the age of 14. This is Sapersteins second novel. His first book, Atypical: Life with Aspergers in 20 1/3 Chapter, was published by Penguin Group in 2010. Dating isnt easy, and its even less so when youve got Aspergers, an autism spectrum disorder that can make it hard to read social cues, notes the NPR article, saying Saperstein tells his fellows on the spectrum that they need to be up front with potential dates that they have Aspergers. And he says they also need to realize that what feels to them like sincere interest can all too often be perceived as creepiness. Explaining he was often accused of stalking for his propensity to send people long, handwritten cards. The purpose of my book is to help people shave off experiences that cause damage. So theyll know from my experiences that if you call someone 100 times in a week, it may work in the movies but it most likely leads to disaster in reality, he says. The primary message he hopes those who read his book take away is, Success with autism or any kind of challenge comes from knowing you have incredible things to offer. Mistakes dont mean youre a loser. Saperstein graduated from Hobart with a B.A. in English. He then set out to conquer the 2,174-mile Appalachian Trail to benefit the Joey DiPaolo AIDS Foundation. Shortly after his hike ended, he says he was exposed to living as an adult on the autism spectrum and was treated as a social pariah by members of the community who did not understand. His decision to write was an opportunity to escape these realities and advocate for his peers who are not always granted a voice. Saperstein visits schools on a regular basis addressing the issue of bullying. He is currently working on initiatives to pioneer a middle/high school class in New York State that will focus on educating young people about misunderstood disabilities as well as the psychological and legal consequences of bullying. An active alum, Saperstein recently returned to campus in January of 2013 for an alum event, he has also spoken on campus. To learn more visit: www.jessesaperstein.com The full article from NPR follows and is available online. NPRAdvice For Dating With Aspergers: Dont Call 100 Times A WeekNancy Shute August 09, 2014 Dating isnt easy, and its even less so when youve got Aspergers, an autism spectrum disorder that can make it hard to read social cues. Jesse Saperstein knows that all too well. In his new book, Getting a Life with Aspergers: Lessons Learned on the Bumpy Road to Adulthood, the 32-year-old tells his fellows on the spectrum that they need to be up front with potential dates that they have Aspergers. And he says they also need to realize that what feels to them like sincere interest can all too often be perceived as creepiness. This is an edited version of our conversation. You say that some of the traits common in people with Aspergers can make social life especially challenging. Why is that? I believe my peers and I, we achieve great things by being unrelenting. We dont know when to stop. We can go after things for years. But that relentlessness does not work with humans and human emotions. In adulthood, that translates to full-blown stalking. Sometimes there are legal consequences that could be avoided when the intent is harmless. Have you been accused of stalking? You have no idea. I have definitely been accused of that many times. In college I would try to win people over by giving them long hand-written cards. I continued this into adulthood, but it wasnt considered cute. It was considered disturbing. What did you do to fix that? Now I tell you, I have Aspergers and this is how I communicate. If this bothers you, you just need to tell me so Ill do better in the future. Ninety-nine percent of the time that works. I sure dont want to miss the people who would love a hand-written card. The purpose of my book is to help people shave off experiences that cause damage. So theyll know from my experiences that if you call someone 100 times in a week, it may work in the movies but it most likely leads to disaster in reality. You said online dating was tough to figure out. How so? It was hard for someone who is not able to let go easily. Online dating is all about letting go, and a lot of hidden signals. You can let go and definitely not get what you want but avoid a lot of consequences. What kind of consequences? One of the golden rules is not to invest a lot of money the first or second time you meet someone. I used to think that if I spent a lot of money on a Broadway show or a four-star restaurant it might not make a woman fall in love with me, but it sure would help. That is erroneous. I think that is one of the things that contributed to my $25,000 credit card debt. I kind of did it to myself, but at the time it did seem like a really good idea. How do you deal with rejection? With dating it does not matter how cruel or sudden the rejection is, when someone demands to be let alone you have to respect that. Ill tell people, contact this person only once a year and see what happens. That may not be appropriate, but its a lot better than being relentless. Are you dating someone now? Im seeing a woman right now whos a few year younger than me. Its hard due to our very hectic schedules; shes still going to school. What helps is her bringing issues to my attention instead of sitting on them, so I can work through them. Whats the message you want people to remember from your book? Success with autism or any kind of challenge comes from knowing you have incredible things to offer. Mistakes dont mean youre a loser.