"Open" or "Closet" Aspie?

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Nearly three year bump!

Open, but I don't go shouting about it.

Closeted. My family knows. (Not because I told them, but because my mother has a big mouth. ) I wouldn't tell my friends (if I had any right now). The type of people I'm usually friends with are usually accepting of weirdness, but not labels or perceived weaknesses, so it's best to keep quiet. In high school my teachers knew, as I was forced to tell them. At least one other person (a snoopy a**hole teacher) knew, as one of my teachers told him. The current climate of ignorance means that it would rarely be helpful to tell anyone else. I'd be more apt to tell strangers than people I know, as it can be immediately useful in some situations and won't have long-term consequences. But I've only done that a couple of times.

Mostly closeted, but I experimented with being open about it when I went on vacation to Amsterdam just as a low-risk way of finding out how people would react and testing different methods of sharing it. I didn't just tell random strangers, but people with whom I had had brief conversations, if it seemed appropriate to the setting. I've also told a few people with whom I have worked on projects, and my close friends. I haven't experienced any problems as a result.

Mostly, I don't see it as worth mentioning. People don't proclaim their bipolar disorder, or the rash on their back. Mostly, they don't have many reasons to discuss their sexual preferences or their hometown, for that matter.

I'm pretty "closeted" about the matter. My dad and stepmom acknowledge that I have AS "traits" (which is usually what I tell people if they really need to know) and my mom and stepdad who used to try every which-way to "convert" me to their idea of "normal" (they probably didn't even realize that this is what they were doing at the time) don't talk about it much anymore, and now just treat me as if I'm no different from the next person. Perhaps that's a sign that they feel guilty for all the years they tried to "change" me, idk.

The only reason I'm not open about it is that I don't have an official Dx yet. If it were to come up, I'd say I have a lot of autistic traits, but I haven't been assessed for autism yet.

If\ when I do get a Dx, I'll be open about my diagnosis.

Mostly closed. My dx is only two months old. In the beginning, I had to tell someone, but I don´t feel or appear autistic, - I think. I just have my weird sides, can be socially clumsy - and seem nervous, people say.
My neighbour knows and three other friends. "That must be VERY light", said the one, whom I suspect to be an aspie herself
I once had to say it to a boss during a work trial, - and "zoom", my tasks came in writing and in smaller systems.
In the future I´ll probably be open to bosses about it, so they can be prepared. Tired of getting sacked.

My family knows, but I won't tell anyone else. I've only had online friends, but if I ever get any IRL, I won't tell them.

Online I am open on ASD forums only. I have mentioned it on two other sites as well but I speak very little of it there, it's only when topics come off where it's relevant, and even then I usually don't. In both cases it was the nature of those sites (not going into specifics) that made me admit to it, and I wish I had never mentioned it on either site at all. I'd much rather no one knew period.

I've mentioned it to a few people. It's pointless until they know what Asperger's is. It actually came up at work today because one of them told another one I had told her that I have Asperger's. They just say, if you read something on the internet you can convince yourself you have anything. Stupid conversations. Besides which as i pointed out to them, whether they believe or don't believe me has no effect on me. I get no brownie points if I convince someone I have Asperger's, nothing changes. IF they don't believe me, I'm still stuck with the problems it causes. What's the point?

I'm extremely open about it.

Not that it helps that much since most NTs don't really know what it means, especially those who claim to.

I don't necessarily tell people unless it becomes relevant to the conversation, but I find that it usually does at some point.
That's not surprising considering it affects so many areas of my life and I'm very aware of that.

Anyone I might have to deal with on a regular basis is always told (i.e. roommates, bosses, coworkers, etc) up front, but again it's rarely useful to do so to prepare them for my reactions and behavior when I have bad days, as they always seem taken by surprise.
The only real utility is that I can later point out that I did warn them and give them an opportunity to ask question about it, and so they have no real cause to be surprised.

The lady shrink I went to for years had never even heard of aspergers until my family brought up the possiblity that I might have it only a few years ago.


So in a world were even shrinks dont know what it is- actively concealing you have it isnt necessary.

As far as the opposite-revealing it to folks. I dunno. I got past 50 without knowing I had it myself. So as a label- its still like wearing a new set of clothes for me. Not used to even telling myself I have it. So Im used to not telling others. Both revealing and concealing are nonsequitars in my life so far.

In my two jobs I have yet to ask for accomidation for it. Though in one job - if I asked why they havent promoted me yet- It might become an issue. Food for thought.

I'm an open closet.

i don't have asperger precisely but i don't want to share my diagnosis with others unless it's necessary/relevant. i haven't even told my best friend of 8 years yet even though i want to. i'm just afraid that she'll start treating me differently if she knows

I'm totally open about it. After all, I'm a total freak, have been for all my 40 odd years. Recently diagnosed. Its been a second coming out for me, a bigger deal than telling the folks back home I'm a big dirty bi.

I talk about it on facebook. I'll discuss it with seemingly interested randoms on the bus. I have a step child on the spectrum, I want him to know there is no shame in it. I have a lot of experience advocating for the maligned, the marginalised and disenfranchised, so now I find myself using these skills to further autistic interests.

Every friend I've told was usually like, "ah that explains so much." Surprised by the amount of acceptance and support actually. Even the cops give me more of a break nowadays. I tell yas, even though I'm sitting in the smouldering ruins of my previous life, things just keeps getting better!! ! I'm so thrilled to have found myself finally.

I'd rather not tell people I have Asperger's.

Hmmm. Am going to my first A.S. meeting tomorrow to hear an expert talking about stress-coping for aspies.
Might be on my way out of the closet.

In the closet....my boss accepts my quirks and oddities...there is no need to slap a label on myself in full view of the whole branch. The stigma from the label could potentially make people lose respect for me.