[mystique]

This article is suggesting that higher than normal number of people who are on Autism spectrum explains the gender imbalance in tech industry. Further it is somehow attributing this to Damore's reasoning about his memo. There are a lot more normal people in the industry though - surely all the woes directed towards tech industry are not due to folks on the spectrum?

Having worked with normal devs and "brogrammers", I have a hard time accepting that the "brogrammer" that is constantly belittling others on the team, second guessing other's work output is on the Autism spectrum. Wouldn't someone on the Autism spectrum not want to draw everyone's attention towards themselves and just do their own work?

I had a friend in grade school who was on the Autism spectrum. From what I remember, he was awkward, self-aware, genius, not looking for attention - but he was never a jerk and if he knew he was making someone uncomfortable he would stop. To suggest that people on Autism spectrum are misunderstood as brogrammers is a stretch.

[jimmywanger]

> This article is suggesting that higher than normal number of people who are on Autism spectrum explains the gender imbalance in tech industry.

I think this article is suggesting that autism is predominantly more prevalent in males, due to higher testosterone, and mild autism is beneficial for employment in tech.

That being said, if that were believed to be true, that would explain the prevalence of males in tech. And I've read Damore's reasoning for his memo - there's nothing explicitly objectionable about it except for the easily reasoned about backlash from most people. Which is sort of a sign of autism.