Aspies For Freedom

I often get the response "don't put yourself down". My "response to the response" is to laugh to myself and carry on.

I get a mix of all the options, so I put other!

Peace

I get a mix of 1 and 2.

People either don't say anything or they ask "what's aspergers?", usualy with me having to repeat what the word was because they're not sure what it is that I said or how to pronounce aspergers.

Often they ask, "What's Asperger's Syndrome?".

They don't know how to respond and awkwardly avoid saying much of anything.

Not that many know about my Asperger's as I'm reluctant to risk more discrimination and/or bullying. Most who I've told weren't surprised at all, and I'm sure if I told one speech therapist who wasn't aware of Asperger's 15 years ago about my diagnosis, she'd agree that it describes me. It's only been in the last 7 years that people in the US became aware that Asperger's syndrome exists.

I voted "other" because I've gotten all of the above, including the "what is it?"  and the awkward silence.

There are many people that know that I haven't told, so I don't really know their reaction. I "outed" myself on my blog. Some people thanked me because now they understand me, and aspergers in general, better. Many other people in town have changed the way they look at me and some have stopped speaking to me.

Some people I have told have been in complete denial and therefore are ignorant, such as family. They ignore me if i mention it. Most others have asked why i think this and have I been dx'd ( i have) A couple of friends have been really interested and we have discussed pros and cons, one friend even went all out and got herself informed by other sources of information and then came back to me and talked about it. But I always felt like an authority. She herself has many AS traits and it was an interesting perspective for her. Mainly I get dopey reactions from people who have experience of young children with a clear DX of autism. These are people who base their knowledge on observed behaviours and do not understand underlying cognitive and emotional diversity which will develop as the child grows.
Simple predictable minds,  :roll:
becca

ooopsy! i am not a guest!
I am me! ME ME ME!
becca

I told a work colleague that I got on well with, her brother has AS.  Her response was : "You hide it well", which surprised me, as I've never tried to hide it.  I just use a game plan I play to when I'm with NTs, something I've developed over the past few decades as to how to deal with them in a certain way with the least amount of friction.  Depending on who it is and the amount of time I have to spend in their company it either works well or fails hopelessly! :lol:
Alison

That's very true.  Most people seem to think "autistic" = "mentally retarded".  It can be very frustrating.

Alison

Frustrating doesn't even begin to describe the ways I have felt with that kind of thinking!

Peace

I have never, ever, ever told anybody. Not even my boyfriend, who was misdiagnosed with it 6 years ago. I just assume the reactions will be "no, you don't," or an awkward silence, with people being unable to talk to me ever again... lets face it, conversation is difficult enough already...

The only people I have told are one of my cousins, (the one I know well, and who is a bit similar to me, altought generally not as un"normal") and two friends. (the only "true" ones, apart from the cousin) The cousin, who doesn't really understand the full extent of it, don't care about it, and generally see me merely as a bit weird, much like herself. The two friends, one of which was also diagnosed with AS a few months ago, respect me for who I am since I got to know them, and telling them didn't change anything.

Apart from those, and my parents, there are a couple of teachers who know, and who at times become a bit patronising, or make incorrect assumptions and then don't care to verify them. Others don't have any reason to know, and telling them would undoubtedly make things worse. They generally neither care to truly get to know me, nor are even capable of it; when it comes to them, "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing", so it's best not to give them any.