Can aspie guys be a little bit more intimidating?!

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This idea just popped in my head as I am trying to make new friends. It is a known fact that a male stranger can be a bit intimidating to others. But will a aspie stranger appear more... hostile?

Probably does not help when I'm not a lanky guy...

Some can. I've gone to school with ASD my whole life. Some aspie guys don't know boundaries and can be too loud.

They can be when they don't understand personal space, or run to an authority figure anytime someone tells them something they don't like. The last one really puts me off, it's a sign of someone who will always make you the bad guy.

The typical AS blank stare can also be kind of intimidating. Smiling might help.

If you are big, serious and tense kind of guy, you may look intimidating. But I think many autistic guys look rather insecure and not intimidating at all. If you consider weird and creepy as intimidating, then maybe yes.

IMO there's creepy weird and creepy, and sexy weird and creepy like Marilyn Manson. I'm a fan of the latter.

Definitely not hostile, usually other's first impression of me is just "weird" because of how much anxiety I get when meeting someone new for the first time.

I guess it's different if you're a bigger lad, someone might be threatened.

Aspies tend to give off a "nerdy" aura-- not intimidating. Somewhat safe, actually. Especially if their logic is actually logical.

It depends on the guy. I know I can be, but I'm a pretty big guy (6'3", ~220 pounds). That being said, I've met guys on the spectrum who are larger than I am and would intimidate absolutely no one. So I guess it has to do with how introverted you are, as well (if that makes sense).

That makes sense.

Ironically, my wife sometimes thinks I give off a "rough" air even though I'm 5 foot 5 and a nerdy-clumsy type.

I learned later in life that although I had a friendly and respectful demeanor, some saw me as intimidating. But let me explain two ways this has worked in my life. Throughout my school years, I was usually the tallest in my class. In the fifth grade I was 5'7" and in my 7th grade year I was 6'1". But I wasn't large. At 6'1" I weighed 140 lbs when I entered high school. Some of the students may have seen me physically intimidating, but I was a pleasant student and I hope they saw me as nice.

Now this second reason is where the intimidation factor came in. I became fascinated with bowling in my early middle school years. Bowling alleys thrilled me to no end. I loved the mechanics and sport itself. I watched the Pro Bowlers Tour every chance I had. Those pro bowlers were almost like family to me. So, as this was an intense interest, I got good at it. In fact, the first year I bowled on a youth league, I maintained the high average, high game, and high series. Throughout all of my years bowling in school leagues through my graduation, I maintained those records. I later learned that other bowlers were intimidated by me. When I bowled, I was usually so absorbed in the interest of bowling that I may have seemed distant from the other competitors.

The same became true in band. I loved the trombone and became the best in my school at it. I turned professional by the time I was in 9th grade. I learned that some of the older high school trombonists were intimidated by me.

But I was nice. I never meant to intimidate. But I add my story because it adds variety to the ways in which intimidation can work.

I'm extremely reserved and quiet.
But, I am seen as being very intimidating. I have been told all my life that people are scared of me and that they see me as a monster. At least, my father told me that.

Hey Glider,

Your post resonated with me.

I was really into the Pro Bowler's tour, Too. Chris Schenkel was a good announcer; but I liked Nelson Burton Jr. (a professional bowler, too) better.

I sucked at bowling, though, even though I used to go bowling once a week with my father. I had a 74 average at age 12. By 15, I probably had a 120-130 average--but never more than that.

My all-time favorite bowler was Mark Roth. He had a stroke a couple of years ago. I'm not sure how he's doing now. I also liked Johnny Petraglia and Dick Weber. Later bowlers who I like include Marshal Holman, Walter Ray Williams Jr., some Venezuelan guy name Amleto something or another, and Pete Weber.

If they had the PBA on Channel 7 these days, I'd still watch it. Especially if they conduct the show in bowling alleys, rather than outdoors.