Are you "noticeably autistic"?

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Yes

It depends. If they are knowledgeable about autism, I think they can usually tell. If not, people often know there is something different about me but cannot place what. This can lead to them thinking something's wrong with me, which sucks. Either way, I'm definitely noticeably different.

I'm "noticeably different", but hardly anyone guesses I'm autistic. Which may explain why I wasn't diagnosed til my late 30s.

I would say no, but I was asked if I was autistic years before I even knew (by someone whose son was autistic). Someone, with a limited knowledge of autism, wouldn't notice.

I'm noticeably different from most other people. Mostly, I'm twitchy from the sensory processing disorder or tactile overload or whatever you want to call it. Also, the things that I grasp are different from most people. I'm super good at technical things and completely clueless at interpersonal things. I've only every had one person ask me if I was autistic but this was probably 14 years ago, way before I knew it myself. Now that I understand more about neurodiversity and autism, I would guess that 10% to 20% of our engineering department is probably on the spectrum. It almost makes me wonder if the hiring managers look for people like me.

Yes, within a couple seconds of a person knowing me they figure out somethings up. Example I went to get my ID updated and the lady at the front desk new the second I sat down. I know because the tone of peoples voice changes. That day I learned I had a slight head tilt, I wonder if that had something to do with it? Just strange body movements that I myself don't notice. I don't think everyone is aware their voices are changing or intends to come across as belittling. But, I feel disability is looked at so poorly by society. if you think about it kids who don't grow up in special ed aren't taught how to interact with us their just told where "Different" without any real effort into helping them understand. I have tried to act with what society considers normal. Bad idea, I found I end up looking a lot stranger so I've given up attempting to "Fit in." I'm who I am. It may trigger judgments but I try my best to not let it concern me. Deep down it is concerning and still hurts it really never gets easier I just try to be hopeful because otherwise I'll never stop being upset I don't want to live my stressed out I'm already stressed out over other things in my life. I would list some traits for you but most of the time I'm not aware of my traits others say something and I become aware. When I went to get my diagnosis the lady told me before I got the results (She wasn't supposed to but did) that It was obvious the second I walked into the room.

Yeah and I've had people ask if I am without me like even interacting directly with them at all.

Yes. Most people seem to quickly notice I'm different. I have noticed random people staring at me randomly in public for as long as I can remember. I also notice some people with talk to me differently or otherwise treat me differently. I have also had people whom I knew ask me directly.

Even when I did my best at masking, the best I could achieve was being weird. I stim constantly, even in my sleep. Also, my reactions to things like loud noise, being touched, crowds, bright lights, etc. are pretty obvious.

My wife says that she new I was autistic the first time she saw me.

Well yes and no. I don't think people clock me as autistic, they just think I'm odd or self-important. Sometimes I guess I dressed weird even though I'd try my best to blend in, so now I lean into it and dont care if people think I dress weird. I sometimes also color my hair with unnatural colors or wear goth clothes and makeup so that always tends to draw attention. I also resemble a minority that is really badly treated in my country so I think some of the negative attention is due to that.

I do have to really remind myself to be way more expressive with my face because my neutral face is so mean or stuck up to NTs. I didnt know til last year that many women keep their brows raised almost all the time to not be perceived as aggressive. I guess thats why I haven't any wrinkles on my forehead lol

It's also an issue for me because I dont identify as female or male but my looks are more on the feminine side and my behaviour I guess is more on the masculine and then people constantly correct my behaviour and mannerisms as "innapropriate to women" which is pointless because I'm not trying to be one and don't care for social gendernorms.

Anyways yeah, I guess I can "pass" for an hour or two if I really have to, like getting an apartment was a lot faking, but I do need to mentally and physically prepare for the masking-event for days and then need days to decompress afterwards.

My stims are pretty subtle and unnoticable mostly unless I'm very nervous or upset and then I'm pacing and flapping and rocking. My abilites for conversations vary greatly day to day where I can be pretty passable or I'm clearly struggling. I have a lot of problems with knowing how to greet people and finding a way into a conversation.

I do wear sunglasses almost always and headphones quite often. And the way I do normal things is apparently odd in some ways atleast I always get comments like I run weird and pick up things weird and throw bowling balls weird and cut vegetables weird and my hobbies are weird and I talk about my favourite tv shows too much and I write too much and whatever.

I don't think so, I think I just come off as a regular weird kid to most, or sometimes rude, most likely from them not understanding my humor. I've often heard people say they wouldn't have guessed if I hadn't mentioned it, which I really only do if I feel the need to explain my behavior. Sometimes it does feel like I'm using it as a crutch or get-out-of-jail-free card, so I sometimes dislike having to mention it in case the other person takes it that way.

It's a double-edge sword, because this also means that people hold me to the same expectations and standards as NT people, especially academically and socially.

As a child I was told daily by my foster parents that I was odd and affected. To avoid humiliation I unconsciously crafted my ways of adapting so as to conceal my idiosyncratic ways. As an adult, post dx, I have the power of choice as to whether I communicate my natural autistic ways. Thankfully, I don't hang out today with people who put me down for my different ways of being, so it's not a hot issue for me today.

I'm almost always regarded as "different," "strange," or "eccentric," but most people don't know enough about autism to apply that label.

If I talk to anyone for more than a minute or so, they know there's something "wrong" with me. A new cashier at the grocery store probably doesn't, but the cashier who's seen me a few times probably does. When casual friends or acquaintances find out I'm autistic they usually say something like, "Oh, ok, that's what that is!" or "Yeah, I can see that" or "I thought so." Most people who knew me before I was diagnosed just think I'm unique. "That's just James. That's how James is." Or sometimes they think I'm some kind of incredible genius (I am a genius, but just the regular kind) and that accounts for my oddities. As a kid, I was definitely one of the little professors and I would be just fine teaching the college students, or telling the adults that they were wrong about something and giving them a list of facts detailing why they were wrong (which I did often, but only to inform and educate, not to make myself seem superior).

I think I appear 'normal' until I get stressed/ hungry/ tired/ overstimulated by noise etc. Then I get snappy, panicky, scared. And people think 'what is wrong with this woman?' and run a mile.

I kind of wish I did appear 'noticeably autistic' 24/7, then they might make allowances. Maybe, anyway! Probably not!