Being seen as vulnerable?

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People treat me as if I'm a child and will baby me a lot, which I don't like, but I guess is helpful when I'm being taught things because people go out of their way to explain things to me and show me what to do. Most people honestly seem to realize that there is something "up" with me, because while I try to mask that doesn't mean I'm actually good at it. I'm also AFAB so I am quite short, when I pass as male people think I'm younger than I am and I've had people assume I have a physical/hormonal issue after they're baffled that I'm 19, if it doesn't immediately register to them that I'm transgender. Overall I think my appearance and the autistic traits I have that are noticeable make people think I'm not as capable as I am and that they need to baby me.

I'm sure AS people do often come across as vulnerable or naive. I think I over-compensated when younger to keep from being victimized, and now I'm told I seem "intimidating"-- which is not the real me at all.

I have been told I looked vulnerable by others and I have been approached by people who seem to see as someone who needs to be protected, comforted, or just too creepy and should be left alone. It took me years to figure out why people see me in these ways and I realized it's because of all of the stress and trauma I have been through. My emotions show on my face and eyes even when I don't realize it, they are especially noticeable if I am having a difficult day, didn't get enough sleep, thinking about something, etc...

At my last job I realized people in hallways were looking at me weird and I realized I didn't hold myself the same as other professionals even though I dressed and spoke the part. I took the time to think deeply about this and studied my facial expressions each day. I realized my eyes get huge, glazed, and bright. If I'm tried and there are dark lines, its particularly noticeable. I found out I can't control this and accepted this is my face and how my experiences impact my expression.

I don't seem to appear vulnerable to others, going by reactions, but I've definitely experienced people telling me things that they don't normally share. At times, even the person has commented on it, like "I don't know why I'm telling you this, I don't talk about this with anyone, etc." People that I've just met, or haven't even really met, will just come out with a huge "overshare" that sometimes makes me somewhat uncomfortable.
I've been told I seem "safe" somehow. Listening and not judging maybe, but like I said, sometimes I don't even really know the person and they're suddenly telling me about incredibly traumatic events from their childhood or talking about how they didn't really love their parents or how they feel terrible about cheating on their husband but they're in love or … Just a ton of things that you wouldn't expect to hear from anyone that wasn't a very close friend, and sometimes things I'd really rather not know. Actually, pretty much always it's things I'd rather not know, lol...

Long before I got diagnosed I wondered why I was:-
Bullied at school and home
Patronised at work
Bullied at work
Taken advantage of by friends/boyfriends
Sexually harassed
I think I see a common theme with me, I allowed myself to be a victim.
That is NOT to blame the OP
I am not the OP, someone at work attracted people who became endeared to her, not bullied or talked down to just endeared, its the vibe we give off.
I can only speak for myself.

Yes, I look very young though, and I think it has to do with body language I think the way we carry ourselves may be perceived as childish to other people. So I'm trying to work on how to present myself more adult like ad having more confidence in what I am saying.

I decided to celebrate my 55th birthday, and invited everyone I thought might show up. They mostly did (taking me seriously) but the cake maker didn't know my age, and settled on four candles for "the right decade." When people are surprised now, I tell them that I took a few years off.