Article: . When you feel comfortable, tell her about your disability, and explain how it affects you personally. If you’re dating a neurotypical individual, you’ll need to meet in the middle.  Be prepared for a few awkward questions. Give honest, factual answers. Relationships are about both partners seeking to understand each other. Encourage your girlfriend to use online resources such as Autism Acceptance Month, the Autism Women's Network, and WikiHow to find out more about the autism spectrum. Show her that you can be an attentive partner, but sometimes social situations take a lot of effort for you. In any relationship, you need to have boundaries, both sexual and nonsexual, and autism can make reading cues like body language difficult. Clearly and non-judgmentally communicate your boundaries to your partner, and ask her to do the same.  Ask your partner to honestly tell you what makes her uncomfortable and what she would like you not to do in the relationship. Likewise, tell your partner what makes you uncomfortable, as she might not be aware that you don’t like a small gesture from her. It might help you both to write these things down on a piece of paper or in a message. It can be easier to come up with boundaries in writing, and you’ll have them to refer back to later. When you’re on the autism spectrum, you often value the truth and find it difficult to lie. This can be a good trait, but it may come across as too blunt in certain situations.  Understand when it is best to give a small "white lie" so as not to not hurt your partner’s feelings. For example, if your girlfriend comes home with a new dress, puts it on, and asks you if it looks good, you should say, “yes,” even if you don’t think so. In this situation, don't think of her question so much like she's asking your opinion of her dress, but more like she's happy in that dress and she's inviting you to share in that happiness with her.  Furthermore, understand that your partner won’t always be blunt with you. This doesn’t mean that you should tolerate blatant lies, but don’t demand that your partner tell you every detail of her life. If you have a difficult time expressing your feelings sometimes, it can be a good idea to have a regular check in session every week. This might be over coffee or dinner.  Try having a set of questions you always ask. This can be a sweet ritual for you as a couple and a good way to plan staying in touch. It will make you both feel heard and valued. An example set of questions could be: What is something I did that made you happy this week? What is something I did that made you sad this week? What is something you would like us to do together next week? Consciously think about things you can do to make your girlfriend smile.  Keep a list in your phone of things your girlfriend likes. If she says one day she likes peonies and specific kind of chocolate, write it down. Every so often, check that list in your phone. Go out and buy her peonies and chocolate for no reason at all. No matter if you’re on the autism spectrum or not, writing can be a great way to express how you feel to someone.  Your letters can be hard copies or emails. Write down the things you like about your partner, and let her read those things.

What is a summary?
Explain your autism Keep boundaries clear. Give a compassionate response over a pure honest one. Check in with each other. Make gestures of affection. Write letters.