Bill Gates' daughter talks about her father's Asperger's syndrome

The daughter of Microsoft technology company founder Bill Gates, Phoebe, announced that her father has been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. This was reported on May 1 by The New York Post (NYP).

"My dad is quite socially awkward. He used to tell [me] that he had Asperger's syndrome," Gates said.

The publication pointed out that 69-year-old Gates has never publicly talked about having Asperger's syndrome. This term was previously used to refer to a type of autism.

It is noted that in his new book called "The Source Code," Gates admitted that if he had grown up in a modern society, he would most likely have been diagnosed with such a diagnosis. According to him, as a child, he showed characteristic signs of autism spectrum disorder — strong concentration on certain topics, difficulties in social interaction and ignoring social signals.

"My parents had no guidance or textbooks to help them understand why their son became so obsessed with certain projects, missed social cues, and could be rude and inappropriate without noticing his impact on others," Gates said.

Asperger's syndrome is a lifelong disorder characterized by severe difficulties in social communication, perception of the world around them, and a stereotypical, repetitive set of interests and activities.

In May 2021, Elon Musk, an American businessman and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), announced that he was suffering from Asperger's syndrome. Upon taking the stage, the businessman proclaimed himself the first presenter of the show with Asperger's syndrome, or at least the first speaker to admit it.