Physical appearance
You will find that they run the gamut.
I actually used to go to a specialized school for kids with autism and other disabilities like cerebral palsy, schizophrenia, and down syndrome. I've seen enough kids with autism just like me to know what they tend to look like.
Special needs kids tend to look like special needs kids. But I think that's a neurological thing rather than a genetic thing. With the exception of DS. When it comes to aspies though I agree with kraftie.
Well you can easily tell when somebody has cerebral palsy too you know
I think when it comes to autism it's the behavior that everyone really picks up on more than anything else but most people with autism that I know also tend to look much younger than they really are and they have a look in their eyes that seems different. I think it just might be because they do not read people the way neurotypicals do but I'm not a psychologist I'm just a guy with aspergers giving my own honest opinion about the subject. If I'm wrong then whatever.
I agree with all that. Like I know totally identical twins named Steve and Stan. one has autism and the other is nt. They look identical, but different. You can tell which one has autism.
I've sorta noticed it, too, and also noticed others noticing it. Or noticing me for it.
I look like this:
It's a terrible picture (and one I've shown before) in craptastic lighting as I stand under the blazing heat lamps in my bathroom, but it works. Normally my hair isnt quite that straight though. The part that hangs below my ears is normally much more curled (yet still manages to hang down to a bit past my shoulder), but I aggressively went at it with a comb until it briefly stopped doing that. Dont even know why I ever bother combing it like that, it just curls back up again like 10 minutes later.
So yeah, that's me. I'm well aware my appearance is unusual. I've been *very* often told that I appear to have a major blend of both feminine & masculine traits (works for me, I like the idea of androgyny to be honest). I get alot of stares (and I can never be sure why they do it, but I do know it makes me nervous when it happens) and am mistaken for a girl every now and then. It's not just my face, either. My bodyshape is also a bit... off. But hey, that's fine by me.
But: The way I see it, all of that doesnt automatically = "attractive". There's an old saying: "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". I dont really think there's any one proper definition of "good" appearance. Hell, I know PLENTY of people wouldnt like the way I look... males are supposed to be masculine, to many. I do get pestered for the way I look at times, since I'm very clearly NOT on the masculine side (which again, is fine by me... I dont really want to look all masculine). Apparently it's a sin, to some. I tend to figure though... that's their problem, not mine.
I look like this:
It's a terrible picture (and one I've shown before) in craptastic lighting as I stand under the blazing heat lamps in my bathroom, but it works. Normally my hair isnt quite that straight though. The part that hangs below my ears is normally much more curled (yet still manages to hang down to a bit past my shoulder), but I aggressively went at it with a comb until it briefly stopped doing that. Dont even know why I ever bother combing it like that, it just curls back up again like 10 minutes later.
So yeah, that's me. I'm well aware my appearance is unusual. I've been *very* often told that I appear to have a major blend of both feminine & masculine traits (works for me, I like the idea of androgyny to be honest). I get alot of stares (and I can never be sure why they do it, but I do know it makes me nervous when it happens) and am mistaken for a girl every now and then. It's not just my face, either. My bodyshape is also a bit... off. But hey, that's fine by me.
But: The way I see it, all of that doesnt automatically = "attractive". There's an old saying: "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". I dont really think there's any one proper definition of "good" appearance. Hell, I know PLENTY of people wouldnt like the way I look... males are supposed to be masculine, to many. I do get pestered for the way I look at times, since I'm very clearly NOT on the masculine side (which again, is fine by me... I dont really want to look all masculine). Apparently it's a sin, to some. I tend to figure though... that's their problem, not mine.
To me you look like a totally male British band member in his 30's. idk if you are brittish and or in a band, but for whatever reason that's how you strike me. I notice however that your eyes are not synchronized. Which I have noticed in many people with autism and I'm told it's that way with me too. Although for you it might be something else causing it.
Wait, I'm curious: What does "eyes not synchronized" mean?
I've gotten a similar comment before (but without any explanation) and I've heard such a phrase also used for others on the spectrum, but yeah, I have no bloody clue what it means.
It's not something I'd personally be able to spot in others (since I dont really do eye contact) but... yeah, I've heard of it before.
On a side note, I'm actually not into music. Like, at all. Mention ANY band to me and I have no bloody clue what you're talking about. Hell, if it's got lyrics of any sort, I probably dont like it. My hair is this way since it simply isnt cut or styled. I usually dont even comb it (yet it still looks like that except with added curls) Never liked the process and I've always preferred long hair anyway (on myself or on others).
It's funny, really, alot of people give me an extra bizarre stare if I mention to them that I have zero interest in music. It's like saying you're not into movies... you can SEE them have a mental bluescreen moment. Something tells me that more than a few people on this forum have frequently seen such moments when talking to others.
No. I like to think my eye doctor (yes I do regular exams and such) would have pointed that out. Hell, I had an appointment fairly recently (a rather in-depth exam, too), for getting new glasses (I use them specifically for driving) and a general check-up at the same time. According to him, everything is normal. They showed me the retina photo even, since apparently that's a thing. No bloody clue what I was looking at, I just nodded as if I understood.
Also I had to look that word up. I've never heard that word before.... you learn something new every day, yeah?
So... is this condition common in those on the spectrum, then? What's it like to have it, I wonder? It sounds.... really annoying.
RetroGamer87
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Joined: 30 Jul 2013
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Honestly, "weird" is a heck of alot more interesting than "normal".
I tend to think ALOT of people would come off as "weird" if they really, genuinely would just be themselves around others instead of trying to fit into some damn stupid pre-made box like so many do. And that's boring, that they always just stick to the "norm".
Sweetleaf
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IDK and I don't even know how I look, I mean sure I know how I look...I recognize myself in the mirror. But I don't know if I look attractive or not, I suppose my boyfriend thinks I do and people in my family sometimes tell me I am good looking. But I guess I am not even all that sure what that even is...like I see women my age who look more like what people expect an almost 30 year old woman to look like and I don't look like that. Not sure it means I am un-attractive or not per say but I do tend to feel out of place with women my own age. Like if anything I look younger so that has some attractive qualities I suppose but I don't think I have a good side profile of my face, like my chin is not very defined and my cheeks look weird from the side in my opinion. But then of course some family see side profile pictures of me and say it looks good, but I am sitting there thinking, uhh that doesn't look good.
I've also had people tell me I am ugly, one boy at school told me I had a gorilla face and I have had people confuse me for being male(though only when I have my hair shorter). So I have gotten mixed opinions of how I look to other people.
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