woops, I just remembered that I had actually intended to post a slightly off-topic comment that didn't really pertain to heather, I just got on a little rant there, sorry.
I too have found that the best way to be capable of enduring social contact is taking as much alone-time as possible-- Though most people claim to think me a great conversationalist when they first meet me, I can only keep it up for a few hours before becoming drained, then I go home and refuse to leave for days. The people who think I'm a great conversationalist at first don't realize that for me, conversations are more a way of verbally organizing and testing my ideas, not an actual effort to bond with the other person so we can keep the conversation going. Though I listen and interact, the conversation is as much about me talking to myself as it is about talking to them. They always seem bemused when they call back and I show no interest in seeing them again "after we had such an incredible conversation". What is to them the beginning of a social bond, is to me more like a data-exchange; I have feelings about the data, but to feel any special affection for the data-bank is exhausting and counterproductive for me, a hindrance.
I'm a huge fan of Top Model and Tyra, and I've watched all the seasons of the show except the first. Heather was actually the reason that I started to realize I'm an Aspie. She reminds me so much of myself. At age 26 (I'm female too), I have spent so many years trying to be "normal" and fit in. My young life was an absolute disaster (bullying anybody? I wouldn't go back to those days for anything!)...
But at this point I finally feel like I'm pretty much camouflaged in public... I think only the people who are closest to me realize that I am "different." It's ironic--I finally get the knack for hiding my specialness, and now I realize that I don't need to be ashamed of it. I'm celebrating it. Like Heather. She's clearly completely cool with who she is. She's not apologetic for it at all. I adore that. She inspires me so much.
I just sat here and read all 9 pages of this thread, and I'm glad I did! Every single post was interesting and enlightening. I feel like every day is an adventure since I figured out that I have AS, which believe it or not was maybe two or three days ago, but it feels like it's been a week.
Regarding the conversation about Heather being extremely high functioning and possibly not having the criteria for diagnosis anymore... Honestly I don't think I would be diagnosed with it if I tried. Maybe if the doctors really sat and listened to my life story and everything I have gone through, down to the daily struggles and the social problems that have plagued me forever... Then maybe. But my physical actions are so practiced at this point, you can't SEE it. Rarely anyway. It's still going on behind closed doors, in my mind... like the wizard behind the curtain. Just because I've gotten better at the performance doesn't mean that the syndrome has disappeared. I don't know Heather personally, but I would imagine it's the same way for her.
If anyone finds more info on Heather on the web, please share the links! I found her MySpace profile (if it's the real deal anyway) and sent her a message. I can't get enough of her. I hope she does keep modeling because at least I'll be able to keep seeing her! Guess she's my latest obsession, haha!
I just sat here and read all 9 pages of this thread, and I'm glad I did! Every single post was interesting and enlightening.
Including mine? 
Of course! 
I'm guessing (based on my own experience of course!) that many aspie girls do pretty well until teenage years hit. Whereas the boys might run into trouble earlier. In my case, the childhood aspie stuff was considered odd but quirky and endearing (and yeah, I was a cute and bright kid--just honest and klutzy as all get-out). But by the time I was 14 it was major trouble. Social expectations shifted, and I didn't. This was a cause of significant emotional pain and confusion. I knew something was "wrong" with me, an opinion enforced by the judgments of others, but I didn't know what.
I completely agree with this. I hit puberty very early (age 9) and that's when my life fell apart. It was OK to be who I was before that, awkward or not. After that point, it felt like I had this enormous weight of expectations on me that I could never live up to. And to this day, I can't live up to those expectations. It's OK now because I only hold myself to my own expectations, and I'm finally happy with who I am. But damn, it took a long time to get here...
She says she hopes to continue modeling and eventually become a national spokeswoman for Asperger’s.
“I had no idea it would be this big,” she said. “My mom is beside herself. She watched me when I was a kid not have any friends, and she saw me struggle. She’s glad people are starting to understand this.”
That makes me very happy. I'd be honored to have her as a spokeswoman. I know that many people here feel that she doesn't represent us all, but who really would? We are all so diverse. She's a great example of that diversity. And honestly, she puts a pretty face on it which makes the NT's sit up and listen. I see that as a good thing--whatever gets the information out there, you know?
But Heather just seems like a beautiful person inside, completely regardless of the beauty that's on the outside. When people hear her story, they are hearing parts of all of our stories. She inspires me so much.
Thanks for posting that!
As someone who has learned to blend in pretty well with NT's in certain situations--no doubt because I already had the capability to do so within me--I have no doubt that Heather is an Aspie. She may seem very high functioning on the outside, but there's no way to know what is racing through her mind as she is putting on that show physically. I think God creates us all so beautifully different, and there are certainly differences like this between Aspies.
I do that too--I endured many horrible years of bullying in school, usually for being smart, and so I quickly learned to downplay that as much as I could. I'm actually trying to bring back some of my "big words" now... I'm just trying hard to be who I really am, and let go of all the overlay crap that I've been putting on myself for so long. I'm surrounded by people who love me unconditionally now. So why try to act so NT? It's tough but I'm trying!
About Heather--here are a couple of YouTube links, sorry if anyone already posted these:
Interview part 1 -
http://youtube.com/watch?v=l_I22HqkQeo
Interview part 2 -
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NzDgNUZ1L4E
I like this one as well with the Enrique Iglesias song that they used on the show (I'm Tired of Being Sorry):
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QzEjptZfTDg
For the Heather fans--enjoy!
I do pretty well fitting in. I did notice the other day though, at work the phones were down for half a day. People got up and wondered off intermingling with each other and going into groups. Talking about stuff, playing cards and other games. I did not feel part of any of that and my old and standard ways of dealing came back. Too hard and I stayed in my seat for hours waiting for the next call with my headphones on. Eventually a Manager came over a said "Hey mate do you want to go out for a smoke?" I said ok. He said "Oh when you get back, don't worry about the headphones, calls will be a while."
When I got back from the cigarette I sat down and stayed by myself for the next couple of hours without the headphones. It was nice not to have to make the effort. I was not lonely.
I thought about it later and chastised myself that I ought to have tried to invite myself to a group or hung around til they invited me in, or start a random conversation with a random personal, or done something else. I chose notto make an effort.
I know that I would have done exactly the same thing in that situation--and most likely when my coworker asked me if I wanted to go out for a smoke, I'd have said no, because I would have been too nervous about where the conversation might go. Those awkward silences with people who you're not used to talking to... that's one of my major stressors.
I would have absolutely hated that part where my normal day got interrupted and people started breaking off into their little social cliques. If I had good friends at work that I was used to talking to, that would be a different story--but if my typical day consisted of sitting in a cubicle, I most likely would not have those friends to begin with.
It's amazing to me that I do have a great small group of really close friends, because I am so scared to connect with people. I know I am really fortunate that they came into my life. They have definitely made me better than I used to be.
Hmm... now how do I pull the conversation back to Heather? I always go so off-topic! :-\
So we should all be computer porgrammer's? (sarcasm), Violet girl what the hell is wrong with being a model, as a woman on the spectrum I am hit with loads of comments based on stereotypes and get the impression that younger people have a can't do this because I have asperger's attitude drilled into them. I could see Heather doing something very interesting within the modeling industry, she has more talents than just being pretty.. I believe she is artist too. I think you ought to learn to understand that other people have different opinions, I respect you have your opinion and I have mine geuss we will agree to disagree.
I agree completely with everything that Fruitcake said. (Hey, now I'm craving fruitcake! Might as well get some, it's almost Christmas time!) I have pushed myself my entire life and I've achieved more than I ever thought I could, but does that make me not an Aspie? No. I still have the same struggles with my daily work, relationships, and every other aspect of my life that I had when this life began. I've adapted to certain situations because I have the capability to grow--but it doesn't take away the mental processes that clearly identify me as Aspie. None of us know Heather personally, but from what I have seen, she doesn't strike me as the type of person who would lie about anything or use that as an excuse. She never used it as an excuse or to get pity or favoritism or anything like that--I watched the whole season (I always do, I'm a big Tyra Banks/Top Model fan) and I never caught a single second of that type of behavior from her.
I didn't like how she kept talking about her "disability".
Exactly, why even bring it up unless someone noticed. Unless, she was trying to play the sympathy card?
Honestly I don't think she talked about it that much at all, and when she did, it seemed like it was from an education point of view, trying to educate the people who would eventually watch the show. I never once saw her use it to gain sympathy or anything like that. Usually when she talked about it, it was later when it was just her and the camera. I never saw her tell anyone during the photo shoots or during competitions.
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