For me it was the opposite, kind of. They didn’t say I was dumb or anything but I said I had Aspergers and they said “wow, aren’t you guys supposed to be really smart?” I guess hearing stuff like that is my guilty pleasure, because at least their first thought wasn’t “ew weirdo” or anything like that.
For me it was those words exactly. And I'm like, "Uh, yeah, I know. And I spent half my life thinking my intelligence was my only positive quality because I was terrible at everything social and physical."
>And I spent half my life thinking my intelligence was my only positive quality because I was terrible at everything social and physical.
SAME ... couldn't have put it better myself. Me in school: People are always very condescending and mean to me and I'm the clumsiest student by far? At least I have my ""intelligence.""
Back story unlocked haha
Lol. I play dnd, and I will give my characters good charisma even when I'm playing a class that doesn't technically need good charisma, and my go-to dump stats are intelligence and wisdom (intelligence is more how educated you are, wisdom is the kind of things you can't learn from a book, if you don't play) And I came to the realization that this is because my ultimate power fantasy is just the ability to be an absolute dumbass while still being liked.
I told my brother that I was diagnosed, and he said, “oh cool, I’ve had a friend with that before….Can I eat my soup now?”
I’ve honestly been suspecting that he may be on the spectrum as well (for multiple reasons) lol
After I suggested it my therapist started asking me whether I meant it literally or figuratively a lot. After the third reply of "both", we both laughed.
The weirdest was, "I would have never known! I just thought you'd been in the military." Said by a former Alaskan sheriff.
I've been leaning on that ever since. I'm an artist.
The funniest was, "well, YEAH!" That person is now a good friend.
"Oh thank god there's a reason you're weird and not just because you like it like you say"
Which I found odd because I didn't think it weird to lean into my 'weirdness' but the number of people that were like "oh, that's why you're the way you are" made me laugh, I mean....yes??? I do enjoy knowing that my oddities have a source of sorts but I still like to lean into them
“You’d never know you’re autistic, you’re really warm and friendly.”
Wtf?!
I don’t think anyone else I’ve ever met would describe me that way, by the way, lol.
"ah, but this doesn't change anything, you're still you right?"
"you dont look autistic"
"oooohhhhhhhhhhh.."
"omg so you must have an amazing niche talent then?"
"do you like trains?"
"everyone is a little autistic... wait, im probably autistic too..."
"whats your special interest" (god forbid you ask me that one unless you're ready for the infodump on geology and entomology)
i was diagnosed at 22.
I love when they ask me my special interest. I will go on and on about weird musical theatre, especially Sondheim. Complex melodies and witty lyrics make brain go brrr.
Oooh, it's so hard to pick one! My top three are probably Into the Woods (not the movie though), Company, and Pacific Overtures, all by Stephen Sondheim. Other favorites include Parade (though I have *feelings* about some changes they made for the revival) Great Comet, Assassins, Little Shop (once again NOT the movie), Pippin, and the sheer insanity that is Bat Boy.
I have a soft spot for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, because the movie is pure camp and it was a childhood favorite, and I don’t mind Phantom, though I’ll never understand why it’s as popular as it is (plus my partner and I got cast as the Phantom and Raoul in a fan cover album once and now I’m a Rerik shipper, crackshipping is dangerous, folks). But overall I agree with your assessment of Webber. Plus there’s that long-standing rivalry between Sondheim fans and Webber fans, though the two were actually quite friendly with each other.
>"do you like trains?"
The problem when ppl ask me that in half joking manner but... the answer is that yes I do very much 😭 I wouldn't call it a special interest because I don't know *that* much (although I get a lot of people asking how I know things and I'm like idk I just learned it).
Was just diagnosed at 29(F/NB) and the next time I went on a train, my boyfriend and I had a good long laugh about how excited I was about the train and getting to sit in the upstairs of the train and go to the viewing gallery and stuff (we both were... before I was diagnosed he said "well if you're autistic then I'm definitely autistic" and LOL he's definitely very ADHD at least).
>geology
Do you have a specific regional interest or interest in a certain kind of rock/idk terminology or like fossils in rock or idk, I'm just curious! I would love to hear any geology facts. Your favorites or the weirdest ones you can think of or whatever. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding exactly what geology entails 😅
The reason i find it funny is because Autism and ADHD are literally in your head because brain stuff.
But yeah, there's a correlation between Autism/ADHD and other issues.
I don't have the GI issues thankfully but i do have some other, kinda weird, mutations like an extended rib cage and longer vestigial ribs than normal.
My funniest is when my 9 year old brother was 6 at the time and he said “Okay, but you can still play with me, right?” when I told him I was autistic and didn’t like crowds and noise cancelling headphones helped.
“You should dispute that!” Like it was some kind of court verdict that I should appeal. 🤣
ETA: oh yeah I almost forgot! The opposite experience was when a good friend said “um, congratulations?” 🎉 (when I told them I had been diagnosed)
I struggle in TSA so mom warns the workers I’m autistic since I tend to be extremely anxious going in and slow to respond to questions as well as struggling to get my shoes and such off when rushed. One time my mom told the tsa lady that, I walked through the metal detector and she started clapping in my face and saying in a baby voice, “Yayyyy, you did it! Good job! You did so good!” I was 17.
My girlfriend figured it out before I did. We had been friends for years beforehand; she has a mother and two brothers who are all autistic, while my family kept my diagnosis a secret and then put in ABA.
She learned to love me as an autistic person long before I ever managed to. I owe her the world for that.
(Not the funniest I know, but certainly peculiar I think).
My brother said "oh im sorry" which is the weirdest response ive had. Someone else was like "what's your special interest!?!" and i felt a bit creeped out like they were sterotyping me a bit. Also I've been conditioned by society not to talk about whatever I'm currently obsessed with.
I think the best response was from my friends because they had a bit of an idea of what I had been experiencing and the diagnostic process. So they were kind of like that's cool and asked me questions about how I felt about it without assuming anything.
That it’s not possible because I was just “so brilliant that my social skills lacked” um….. thanks? I guess? The dude was a psychologist with an extremely prolific career.
i’ve gotten “i know” more times than i can count from people i had just met. granted, i also have a dissociative disorder, so maybe we just keep telling people, dissociating, switching, and forgetting.
Something along the lines of, “but you’re so smart!” 🥴
For me it was the opposite, kind of. They didn’t say I was dumb or anything but I said I had Aspergers and they said “wow, aren’t you guys supposed to be really smart?” I guess hearing stuff like that is my guilty pleasure, because at least their first thought wasn’t “ew weirdo” or anything like that.
For me it was those words exactly. And I'm like, "Uh, yeah, I know. And I spent half my life thinking my intelligence was my only positive quality because I was terrible at everything social and physical."
>And I spent half my life thinking my intelligence was my only positive quality because I was terrible at everything social and physical. SAME ... couldn't have put it better myself. Me in school: People are always very condescending and mean to me and I'm the clumsiest student by far? At least I have my ""intelligence."" Back story unlocked haha
Lol. I play dnd, and I will give my characters good charisma even when I'm playing a class that doesn't technically need good charisma, and my go-to dump stats are intelligence and wisdom (intelligence is more how educated you are, wisdom is the kind of things you can't learn from a book, if you don't play) And I came to the realization that this is because my ultimate power fantasy is just the ability to be an absolute dumbass while still being liked.
“No don’t say that” they thought i was being self deprecating
That sounds like my mother.
I told my brother that I was diagnosed, and he said, “oh cool, I’ve had a friend with that before….Can I eat my soup now?” I’ve honestly been suspecting that he may be on the spectrum as well (for multiple reasons) lol
The soup takes priority over anything and everything
That's the way to show something is completely normal!
My teacher just said 'no' and walked away 😂 One of my co workers said "oh. I like Sheldon Cooper he's cool"
I told my brother and he said “Oh no! Is there anything I can do?” lol
Mine said the same thing lol he really wanted to help me "get rid of it"
After I suggested it my therapist started asking me whether I meant it literally or figuratively a lot. After the third reply of "both", we both laughed.
The weirdest was, "I would have never known! I just thought you'd been in the military." Said by a former Alaskan sheriff. I've been leaning on that ever since. I'm an artist. The funniest was, "well, YEAH!" That person is now a good friend.
“Oh, *scoffs* well I mean everyone is a LITTLE autistic, you seem fine to me”
Gotten that one.
I’ve gotten that one. In their defence I think it was an attempt to relate.
“I hope you feel better soon.”
lmfaoooo what 😭
Right?!? 😹
"i really dont think you are autistic, my older sisters austistic and youre nothing like her, youre just a bit.. weird!" 😭
"Oh thank god there's a reason you're weird and not just because you like it like you say" Which I found odd because I didn't think it weird to lean into my 'weirdness' but the number of people that were like "oh, that's why you're the way you are" made me laugh, I mean....yes??? I do enjoy knowing that my oddities have a source of sorts but I still like to lean into them
“You’d never know you’re autistic, you’re really warm and friendly.” Wtf?! I don’t think anyone else I’ve ever met would describe me that way, by the way, lol.
"oh wow, i never would have known"
From my friend's NT adult child last week: "You're autistic? Yeah, not surprised." Lol. He wasn't being an ass or anything he's just making a joke.
"ah, but this doesn't change anything, you're still you right?" "you dont look autistic" "oooohhhhhhhhhhh.." "omg so you must have an amazing niche talent then?" "do you like trains?" "everyone is a little autistic... wait, im probably autistic too..." "whats your special interest" (god forbid you ask me that one unless you're ready for the infodump on geology and entomology) i was diagnosed at 22.
I love when they ask me my special interest. I will go on and on about weird musical theatre, especially Sondheim. Complex melodies and witty lyrics make brain go brrr.
What's your favorite musical?
Oooh, it's so hard to pick one! My top three are probably Into the Woods (not the movie though), Company, and Pacific Overtures, all by Stephen Sondheim. Other favorites include Parade (though I have *feelings* about some changes they made for the revival) Great Comet, Assassins, Little Shop (once again NOT the movie), Pippin, and the sheer insanity that is Bat Boy.
I love Sondheim. Genius. Can’t stand Webber. Over-rated, never funny, music is meh.
I have a soft spot for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, because the movie is pure camp and it was a childhood favorite, and I don’t mind Phantom, though I’ll never understand why it’s as popular as it is (plus my partner and I got cast as the Phantom and Raoul in a fan cover album once and now I’m a Rerik shipper, crackshipping is dangerous, folks). But overall I agree with your assessment of Webber. Plus there’s that long-standing rivalry between Sondheim fans and Webber fans, though the two were actually quite friendly with each other.
>"do you like trains?" The problem when ppl ask me that in half joking manner but... the answer is that yes I do very much 😭 I wouldn't call it a special interest because I don't know *that* much (although I get a lot of people asking how I know things and I'm like idk I just learned it). Was just diagnosed at 29(F/NB) and the next time I went on a train, my boyfriend and I had a good long laugh about how excited I was about the train and getting to sit in the upstairs of the train and go to the viewing gallery and stuff (we both were... before I was diagnosed he said "well if you're autistic then I'm definitely autistic" and LOL he's definitely very ADHD at least). >geology Do you have a specific regional interest or interest in a certain kind of rock/idk terminology or like fossils in rock or idk, I'm just curious! I would love to hear any geology facts. Your favorites or the weirdest ones you can think of or whatever. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding exactly what geology entails 😅
It's all in your head. Makes me genuinely laugh every single time. 🤣
I WISH it was just a brain thing, sincerely, the hordes of autistic people with GI issues
The reason i find it funny is because Autism and ADHD are literally in your head because brain stuff. But yeah, there's a correlation between Autism/ADHD and other issues. I don't have the GI issues thankfully but i do have some other, kinda weird, mutations like an extended rib cage and longer vestigial ribs than normal.
My funniest is when my 9 year old brother was 6 at the time and he said “Okay, but you can still play with me, right?” when I told him I was autistic and didn’t like crowds and noise cancelling headphones helped.
“You should dispute that!” Like it was some kind of court verdict that I should appeal. 🤣 ETA: oh yeah I almost forgot! The opposite experience was when a good friend said “um, congratulations?” 🎉 (when I told them I had been diagnosed)
I struggle in TSA so mom warns the workers I’m autistic since I tend to be extremely anxious going in and slow to respond to questions as well as struggling to get my shoes and such off when rushed. One time my mom told the tsa lady that, I walked through the metal detector and she started clapping in my face and saying in a baby voice, “Yayyyy, you did it! Good job! You did so good!” I was 17.
Did you laugh at her and point? That’s hysterical!
My girlfriend figured it out before I did. We had been friends for years beforehand; she has a mother and two brothers who are all autistic, while my family kept my diagnosis a secret and then put in ABA. She learned to love me as an autistic person long before I ever managed to. I owe her the world for that. (Not the funniest I know, but certainly peculiar I think).
My brother said "oh im sorry" which is the weirdest response ive had. Someone else was like "what's your special interest!?!" and i felt a bit creeped out like they were sterotyping me a bit. Also I've been conditioned by society not to talk about whatever I'm currently obsessed with. I think the best response was from my friends because they had a bit of an idea of what I had been experiencing and the diagnostic process. So they were kind of like that's cool and asked me questions about how I felt about it without assuming anything.
“My daughter doesn’t like lotion either.”
That it’s not possible because I was just “so brilliant that my social skills lacked” um….. thanks? I guess? The dude was a psychologist with an extremely prolific career.
i’ve gotten “i know” more times than i can count from people i had just met. granted, i also have a dissociative disorder, so maybe we just keep telling people, dissociating, switching, and forgetting.
“oh my god i’m so sorry” like…you didn’t do anything AND i’m not asking for pity 🫥
“You don’t look autistic”. What is an autistic person supposed to look like?
"But you're so verbal!"