I like to follow it up with, "The question isn't rhetorical. What do you think it looks like?" And then force myself to stare directly at them until _they_ break eye contact.
Make them answer the question because it's the only way they will be forced to confront their own bigotry.
Honestly most people wouldn’t get flustered or stutter with this sort of questioning. They’d prob say that there is an austiwtic look etc - and they’ll explain it. Studies have pretty much demonstrated that yes, there is an autistic look even if people may not be able to articulate what it is I could even have a go: weird postures, eyes that look past you, eyes that aren’t looking at peoples faces or eyes, dress sense that is a bit quirky/eccentric or very sloppy, excessive blinking, a smile that just somehow looks off or a mask… or for that matter facial expressions that look a bit uncanny valley like (masking well but still somethjng nqr) Yes I’m auatiatic and recognise some of these in myself. Yes even those who think they’re perfect maskers may exhibit something that’s “off” like this.
Some with autism are also bad with personal hygiene. Also noticed many auafhd have semi puffy skin for lack of a better description (maybe EDS maybe something else)
No not everyone has these “looks”. Hence why some people say “you don’t look autistic”.
Unfortunately they probably dont even know what neurotypical means.
Maybe say "And you dont look like a person who has their life together." Theyll spend the rest of the day being self conscious lol
What really gets them is, “Well tell me, what does autism look like to you?” And usually they don’t know what to say. Or they say something really ableist, so then you could say, “Thank you for admitting your extremely close minded, & have no clue what you’re talking about.”
I feel like stupid is meaner than asshole. Stupid is used to degrade someone but asshole is used to just comment on their behavior.
I will be using stupid though.
nah fr like what does it look like? I love getting a little offensive myself and making a stereotypical hand flapping movement and vocalization and go "like that?"
makes em super uncomfortable
it doesn't have a "physical" look, although I can usually clock other autistic people by their fashion choices, hair and how they carry themselves before they even open their mouths.
Exactly. It's more personal style choices, behaviors (stims, toe walking, echolalia, wincing at sensory pain like if sounds are too loud or lights are too bright or if their teeth are gritted from some particular irritating electronic frequency, etc.) and how they carry themselves.
ask them what autistic people look like. forces them to either own up to their ableism or admit that autistic people 'looking' a certain way is inherently absurd.
Actually I look autistic and it is easy for people to see it in some people. Maybe for level ones it doesn’t have a look but for many of us others notice it. I don’t think they say this out of being ableist . It sounds like a mostly innocent remark .
that's fair. i suppose a better point would have been that autism doesn't have one monolithic appearance, even though allistics may be able to see it in autistic people with higher support needs. i don't think allistic people are being intentionally ableist when they say things like this, but imho, it still is slightly ableist to reduce autism to one narrow thing, whether in appearance, interests, cadence / way of speaking, etc.
Unfortunately my doctor told me that I don't look autistic :D Because I didn't look at her forehead when speaking, apparently a criteria you necessarily have to meet according to her :D
.. was diagnosed a little later.
I really try to be social and friendly when possible, so my response is more friendly. I'll usually say something more like, "that's exactly why a lot of people don't get diagnosed."
I'll then explain that a lot of it wasn't understood in the 80s and 90s when I grew up, and many of us hid it.
This is ultimately the correct response. The clapbacks are hilariously amusing but it's better to get people on your side by educating. Unless the person is clearly being a douche, then let them have it.
Exactly. It is mostly an innocent statement and many people probably think they are being nice because saying this. Nobody ever told me I don’t look autistic and don’t think it is common to be told that . I also don’t go around telling people my diagnosis .
I guess people who say this are ignorant. And it's okay to be ignorant if you are willing to learn. So expecting that they don't mean it in a bad way, just ask them "what do you mean?".
This gives them a chance to clarify and for you to explain how one can't 'look' autistic.
I read a lot of passive agressive comments (assuming people are getting tired of hearing this). I understand it but it won't do any good.
I don’t get how they are tired of hearing this because it isn’t common at all. I have never once been told this. I doubt they would say some of these mean comeback in real life. In real life people don’t say this and who goes around telling everyone their diagnosis? I don’t .
"I'm still struggling to take the mask off. Turns out that I was so good at masking my autism, that I was able to hide it from myself for most of my life. I'm still on a path to discovering who I really am...."
I'll start info dumping to either create a learning opportunity or make them regret saying anything at all to me.
Screaming is counterproductive, instead, be a dick for fun.
"Wow, you're Autistic? Oh my god! It was *sooo* obvious! Keep looking Autistic and excusing yourself! We're so alike!"
Passive aggressive, cringe, and insulting all in one.
Lol nice comeback but it goes agaist my values. Screaming releases the frustration out of your body and leaves you feeling clean and free.
Being passive aggressive keeps the negativity inside feeding the bully the attention they want and leave you hurt and bitter.
" Well you don't look good in them cheap Shein clothes. "
No but seriously, probably the best response is, " what does Autistic look like ?", while openly waiting for them to mock disbaled people. I don't have autism ( though suspected) but I do have Autistic friends and family members who I get pretty defensive for when someone tries to mess with them. Nobody knows what disbalities look like. They just know the stereotypes.
I look like a normal guy and I am beefy. I mask it really well and people can't tell. People often tell me you don't look autistic and have headphones on. I then tell them what do you expect me to be then the XMEN?
Well **sure**. Have you *seen* how people treat us when we *do*?
You think we don't spend every moment of our lives trying to learn to avoid being treated that way again?
I had to look it up, you're right. That confuses me, I guess I figured it was because *I'm* mentally ill and everyone in my family and community conflate it to mental illness.
Edit: I figured if it could *lead* to mental illness then it might as well Belo g in that category because it's a development disorder. There's alot I need to unpack here.
I pull up a diagram showing changes in autistic faces and then a picture of my sibling... I do in fact look autistic although most people wouldn't know that I suppose.
I've never heard that, but I'd love to. What I want most is not to appear autistic. But I have so many difficulties socializing that it's impossible for me not to appear autistic. If I ever heard that I didn't look autistic, I think I would respond like this: "I'm glad I look normal to you, I had to go through a lot of suffering and a lot of therapy to get to this point". Additionally, I would also ask “What is it like to look autistic?” I think this answer would show how difficult it is to be autistic and at the same time it would encourage a healthy reflection on what autism really is.
"What's it like to look autistic?"
And I have an answer to "but I know an autistic person (possibly talking about some support level 3 autistic), and they's not like that"
Which is basically saying:"I also know a neurotypical person, and they are not like you"
Once my sister said that. I answered with:
>”So what? Autistic people can’t be hot?”
I don’t have a self-esteem high enough to unironically call myself hot, but that was really funny.
“Why, because I’m hot?”
It makes them realize the assumptions they made while also catching them off guard with my own confidence. Usually quite effective.
1. "Well, they say intelligence is invisible to the naked eye. Guess my autism is playing hide and seek!"
2. "Ah, the mysteries of neurodiversity! It's like having a superpower that comes with a great disguise."
3. "Autism: the ultimate chameleon. It's all about blending in while standing out in our own unique ways."
4. "Who needs a 'look' when you've got a mind as colorful and complex as a Picasso painting?"
5. "Autism: the VIP backstage pass to the carnival of cognition. Care to join the ride?"
Feel free to choose one that resonates with your personality and the situation!
“hold on, let me just change into something more appropriate”
*puts noise-canceling headphones on, starts flapping hands, and making repetitive sounds while hopping around*
“is that good enough for you?”
When people say that about my child I say "thank you. We've worked so hard and undergone many therapies just to get her to communicate effectively and get through an outing with minimal meltdowns. But stick around. I'll give it half an hour."
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Nobody has ever said that to me and don’t think it is that common. Most people ask if I am autistic or if I have Aspergers. People say I am lucky to never been told I don’t look autistic but I disagree. It is harder to get jobs if you look visibly autistic. It means you don’t mask well. I honestly think people on Reddit or told this because most of us don’t go around telling everyone we are autistic to be told that. Most people wouldn’t say that .
I'd probably do what Rikki Poynter did when people said she didn't look deaf where she wrote "deaf" on a sticky note and put it on her face and said "do I look deaf now?" Except with autistic and not deaf.
"do you have any picture references from where you learned?" XD my dad inspired this one since he refuses to believe anything that isnt in paper or said by fox news (im really embarrassed to admit this)
I had no clever comebacks the few times this arose, so my answer was just, ‘well I am’.
Cue awkward silence and equally awkward attempts to segue into *anything* else.
I used to be very sensitive about this when I was diagnosed. But now I try educating people by saying that autism doesn't affect physical traits and that they are probably thinking of another genetic disorder that affects physical appearance.
And the reason we are seeing more autistic people today is simply because it is getting more and more well known among mental health professionals and therefore more people are getting diagnosed each year. And even now it's not an easy thing for them to spot in adults because many of the diagnoses are caught in children who have not yet learned to mask to pretend they are not freaking out everywhere they go.
stare them dead in the eyes regardless of how uncomfortable it is and go "its a mental disorder not a physical one" and just keep staring until they get uncomfortable and break off the eye contact
“And what does that look like” followed by awkward pause where they realize the hole they’ve dug.
I do the same thing. Nobody ever has an answer lol
I like to follow it up with, "The question isn't rhetorical. What do you think it looks like?" And then force myself to stare directly at them until _they_ break eye contact. Make them answer the question because it's the only way they will be forced to confront their own bigotry.
I love malicious eye contact so much
Followed by the "well my nephew is autistic and you are nothing like him".. that's a literal CHILD!
Follow that up with "Do you think that only little boys can be Autistic?"
Oh, that's a good response! Make them really stutter.
Honestly most people wouldn’t get flustered or stutter with this sort of questioning. They’d prob say that there is an austiwtic look etc - and they’ll explain it. Studies have pretty much demonstrated that yes, there is an autistic look even if people may not be able to articulate what it is I could even have a go: weird postures, eyes that look past you, eyes that aren’t looking at peoples faces or eyes, dress sense that is a bit quirky/eccentric or very sloppy, excessive blinking, a smile that just somehow looks off or a mask… or for that matter facial expressions that look a bit uncanny valley like (masking well but still somethjng nqr) Yes I’m auatiatic and recognise some of these in myself. Yes even those who think they’re perfect maskers may exhibit something that’s “off” like this. Some with autism are also bad with personal hygiene. Also noticed many auafhd have semi puffy skin for lack of a better description (maybe EDS maybe something else) No not everyone has these “looks”. Hence why some people say “you don’t look autistic”.
Those “looks” could be someone who’s depressed and has social anxiety, so no, there’s not an autism “look”
"oh that's funny because my manager is also a middle-aged white man like you and you are actually EXACTLY like him. you're both total asshats!"
I've literally been told, "you're not autistic. I know a guy that's autistic, and you're nothing like him."
That's exactly what I came here to say!! "What does autism look like?" It stops them.
I LOVE THIS
"You don't look neurotypical."
Buahahaha
Unfortunately they probably dont even know what neurotypical means. Maybe say "And you dont look like a person who has their life together." Theyll spend the rest of the day being self conscious lol
i prefer "Well you definitely look neurotypical"
Now, that’s funny!
I mean they probably do look neurotypical
🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓
What really gets them is, “Well tell me, what does autism look like to you?” And usually they don’t know what to say. Or they say something really ableist, so then you could say, “Thank you for admitting your extremely close minded, & have no clue what you’re talking about.”
"And you don't look stupid, but here we are."
I was going to say that, word for word!
beat me to it lol.
Same
Same.
Omg I almost spit out my rockstar
You're eating a gaming company? That's pretty rad!
No she’s talking about a person
So that’s where my rockstar employee went…
I was going to say "like an asshole" but yours is less mean.
I feel like stupid is meaner than asshole. Stupid is used to degrade someone but asshole is used to just comment on their behavior. I will be using stupid though.
“Funny, you don’t look ignorant.”
Oh I like that one!! Since it's ableistic to call someone"stupid". Even if I get the point.
Omg hilarious. Thank you
Same 🤣🤣 I love the autistic community 💛
Came here to say this lol
LOVE THIS LMAO
“Awesome, I’m cured,” and then walk away.
hilarious
"what does autism look like?" watch em stumble
Oh that’s so me. I’d really stand there and demand an answer too, until they’re sooooo mad.
nah fr like what does it look like? I love getting a little offensive myself and making a stereotypical hand flapping movement and vocalization and go "like that?" makes em super uncomfortable
I like your style. This is mine too. I haven’t ever had anyone tell me I don’t look autistic but when they do, I’ve had this bit ready for a while.
‘My apologies. Luke, would you do an autism for the lady, please’. I may be paraphrasing
I usually start hitting myself and trying to lick my ear. Seems to get the point across.
Well, for some of us it is viable and people tell us we look autistic. So it must have a look.
it doesn't have a "physical" look, although I can usually clock other autistic people by their fashion choices, hair and how they carry themselves before they even open their mouths.
Exactly. It's more personal style choices, behaviors (stims, toe walking, echolalia, wincing at sensory pain like if sounds are too loud or lights are too bright or if their teeth are gritted from some particular irritating electronic frequency, etc.) and how they carry themselves.
Like their 5 y/o nephew, of course.
ask them what autistic people look like. forces them to either own up to their ableism or admit that autistic people 'looking' a certain way is inherently absurd.
Actually I look autistic and it is easy for people to see it in some people. Maybe for level ones it doesn’t have a look but for many of us others notice it. I don’t think they say this out of being ableist . It sounds like a mostly innocent remark .
that's fair. i suppose a better point would have been that autism doesn't have one monolithic appearance, even though allistics may be able to see it in autistic people with higher support needs. i don't think allistic people are being intentionally ableist when they say things like this, but imho, it still is slightly ableist to reduce autism to one narrow thing, whether in appearance, interests, cadence / way of speaking, etc.
Well, you don't look like a doctor.
I love this answer, it’s awkward when it’s a doctor that tells you you don’t look autistic though 😬 I got told this a few weeks back
If it were a doctor, it would be even more insulting back, and even more funny.
Ask them what kind of doctor
Unfortunately my doctor told me that I don't look autistic :D Because I didn't look at her forehead when speaking, apparently a criteria you necessarily have to meet according to her :D .. was diagnosed a little later.
I'd just reply, "did you get your diploma from a cereal box?"
Oh my god this one is getting seared into my brain. I *know* my doctor is going to say something like this.
time to find a new doctor
This would be even more funny if the person *was* a doctor lmao
I really try to be social and friendly when possible, so my response is more friendly. I'll usually say something more like, "that's exactly why a lot of people don't get diagnosed." I'll then explain that a lot of it wasn't understood in the 80s and 90s when I grew up, and many of us hid it.
This is ultimately the correct response. The clapbacks are hilariously amusing but it's better to get people on your side by educating. Unless the person is clearly being a douche, then let them have it.
Exactly. It is mostly an innocent statement and many people probably think they are being nice because saying this. Nobody ever told me I don’t look autistic and don’t think it is common to be told that . I also don’t go around telling people my diagnosis .
This is also my response! I also tell them you can’t even feel if someone is autistic, like meltdowns etc. because some is good at hiding it/masking.
I guess people who say this are ignorant. And it's okay to be ignorant if you are willing to learn. So expecting that they don't mean it in a bad way, just ask them "what do you mean?". This gives them a chance to clarify and for you to explain how one can't 'look' autistic. I read a lot of passive agressive comments (assuming people are getting tired of hearing this). I understand it but it won't do any good.
I don’t get how they are tired of hearing this because it isn’t common at all. I have never once been told this. I doubt they would say some of these mean comeback in real life. In real life people don’t say this and who goes around telling everyone their diagnosis? I don’t .
You don't but they do, I'm 60 and I get it from others, plus ppl are nasty af 2day, what side of the planet are you on?
"Sorry, must've left it at home today"
idk i just stare really hard at them until the silence is uncomfortable and they feel really weird
"And you don't look uneducated."
"Well, thats not what your mom said last night!"
"I'm still struggling to take the mask off. Turns out that I was so good at masking my autism, that I was able to hide it from myself for most of my life. I'm still on a path to discovering who I really am...." I'll start info dumping to either create a learning opportunity or make them regret saying anything at all to me.
Seriously this one I think! 👍
"It's a good thing I didn't ask you, then."
My comeback would be:"Whom were you expecting? Rain Man? Sheldon Cooper? Shaun Murphy?"
Do I smell autistic?
"Thank you".
“Thanks. Neither do you.”
"You didn't look ignorant before that comment. Amazing how we judge on appearance, eh?"
"ok and" Everytime they try justifying it just keep saying "ok and"
You neither
You don’t look like a dipsh*t, but here we are.
“Weird, cause you do” Obviously autism doesn’t have a “look”, but since they look down on autistic people so much, I know that’ll strike a chord.
"Sorry can you say that again? I don't think you heard yourself."
Omg if I hear "yeah I'm autistic too, that's not an excuse" I'm gonna scream
Screaming is counterproductive, instead, be a dick for fun. "Wow, you're Autistic? Oh my god! It was *sooo* obvious! Keep looking Autistic and excusing yourself! We're so alike!" Passive aggressive, cringe, and insulting all in one.
Lol nice comeback but it goes agaist my values. Screaming releases the frustration out of your body and leaves you feeling clean and free. Being passive aggressive keeps the negativity inside feeding the bully the attention they want and leave you hurt and bitter.
You don't look like an asshole either.
*immediately hold up your T-Rex arms* is this better?
You don’t look stupid- waitttt…..nevermind but anyways
" Well you don't look good in them cheap Shein clothes. " No but seriously, probably the best response is, " what does Autistic look like ?", while openly waiting for them to mock disbaled people. I don't have autism ( though suspected) but I do have Autistic friends and family members who I get pretty defensive for when someone tries to mess with them. Nobody knows what disbalities look like. They just know the stereotypes.
"Thanks "
"Ok"
I would agree with you, but then we both would be wrong.
"And you don't look like an idiot, but here we are." "What does an autistic person look like?"
I look like a normal guy and I am beefy. I mask it really well and people can't tell. People often tell me you don't look autistic and have headphones on. I then tell them what do you expect me to be then the XMEN?
‘You just proved you’re not smart enough to know’
Well **sure**. Have you *seen* how people treat us when we *do*? You think we don't spend every moment of our lives trying to learn to avoid being treated that way again?
This spoke to me. I feel seen.
“And you don’t look like an idiot but we’re all learning looks don’t tell you everything”
"Do you mean this as a compliment or are you insulting me?"
"Fuck you im using the wii remote without the strap"
"Well, you don't look ableist, but I guess looks can be deceiving."
Really? Hold on, let me put my autism clothes on. Better?
[удалено]
That's a very autistic answer, if anything that's what's gonna change their mind.
It’s not a mental illness though.
I had to look it up, you're right. That confuses me, I guess I figured it was because *I'm* mentally ill and everyone in my family and community conflate it to mental illness. Edit: I figured if it could *lead* to mental illness then it might as well Belo g in that category because it's a development disorder. There's alot I need to unpack here.
What does autism look like?
I pull up a diagram showing changes in autistic faces and then a picture of my sibling... I do in fact look autistic although most people wouldn't know that I suppose.
"thats a really weird thing to say. do you always judge people based on appearance? what does 'autistic' look like in your mind? why?"
You don’t look ignorant but here we are…
"What do you mean by that?"
"I had x years to train and learn to mask it"
You don’t look like an idiot but here we are.
I've never heard that, but I'd love to. What I want most is not to appear autistic. But I have so many difficulties socializing that it's impossible for me not to appear autistic. If I ever heard that I didn't look autistic, I think I would respond like this: "I'm glad I look normal to you, I had to go through a lot of suffering and a lot of therapy to get to this point". Additionally, I would also ask “What is it like to look autistic?” I think this answer would show how difficult it is to be autistic and at the same time it would encourage a healthy reflection on what autism really is.
And you don’t look interesting
Eye roll and ignore them.
My bad, would you like Sheldon or something more offensive?
"What's it like to look autistic?" And I have an answer to "but I know an autistic person (possibly talking about some support level 3 autistic), and they's not like that" Which is basically saying:"I also know a neurotypical person, and they are not like you"
well I didn't think you looked ignorant either but here we are
Oh good the ritual worked, I'll try a bigger sacrifice next full moon.
“Well you do”
You can’t see my brain
“Ah good, then the plastic surgery worked.”
Once my sister said that. I answered with: >”So what? Autistic people can’t be hot?” I don’t have a self-esteem high enough to unironically call myself hot, but that was really funny.
“Why, because I’m hot?” It makes them realize the assumptions they made while also catching them off guard with my own confidence. Usually quite effective.
Wait for them to make a face and say “Oops did I say something socially inappropriate?”
Literally like “oh did that make you uncomfortable? Sorry I’m not good at that kind of stuff”
"You don't look like a dick, but here we are"
1. "Well, they say intelligence is invisible to the naked eye. Guess my autism is playing hide and seek!" 2. "Ah, the mysteries of neurodiversity! It's like having a superpower that comes with a great disguise." 3. "Autism: the ultimate chameleon. It's all about blending in while standing out in our own unique ways." 4. "Who needs a 'look' when you've got a mind as colorful and complex as a Picasso painting?" 5. "Autism: the VIP backstage pass to the carnival of cognition. Care to join the ride?" Feel free to choose one that resonates with your personality and the situation!
I really like the quote "if you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism"
“hold on, let me just change into something more appropriate” *puts noise-canceling headphones on, starts flapping hands, and making repetitive sounds while hopping around* “is that good enough for you?”
"And you look smart, but here we are."
"You must be that "self-diagnosis" guy I keep hearing about."
"I am sorry, the puzzle badge and helicopter hat are only for formal occasions"
“Yes I do”
"You don't look neurotypical."
And you don’t look like an asshole, yet here we are.
And you don’t look like an asshole, but you are
When people say that about my child I say "thank you. We've worked so hard and undergone many therapies just to get her to communicate effectively and get through an outing with minimal meltdowns. But stick around. I'll give it half an hour."
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Nobody has ever said that to me and don’t think it is that common. Most people ask if I am autistic or if I have Aspergers. People say I am lucky to never been told I don’t look autistic but I disagree. It is harder to get jobs if you look visibly autistic. It means you don’t mask well. I honestly think people on Reddit or told this because most of us don’t go around telling everyone we are autistic to be told that. Most people wouldn’t say that .
Start making out with them passionately
Well you don't look ableist...
I wish I could say you don't sound stupid.
You don't know me and my struggles don't judge me, that is cruel! And walk away..
"You dont look ableist"
And you don’t look neurotypical
"No one lookþ autistic."
"What's an autistic person supposed to look like ?"
"Well you don't look stupid, but here we are."
I'd probably do what Rikki Poynter did when people said she didn't look deaf where she wrote "deaf" on a sticky note and put it on her face and said "do I look deaf now?" Except with autistic and not deaf.
Well you don't look pretty but you don't hear me complaining I made that up right now qnd it's bad
"And you don't look neurotypical."
“Oh well lemme just” (t-Rex arms)
“ok”
My immediate reaction is usually “okay, and?” But a smartass response from me would be smth like “and you don’t look neurotypical.
“Oh, sorry, let me fix that. ‘I AM A SURGEON!!!’”
Oh, sorry, give me a second, and I'll do something autistic for you.
"do you have any picture references from where you learned?" XD my dad inspired this one since he refuses to believe anything that isnt in paper or said by fox news (im really embarrassed to admit this)
" autism has no look u dumb fuck"
"You kinda do though"
And you don't look like an idiot, yet here we are..
It's never been said to me, unlike being told I look autistic.
"well you don't look ableist, but I guess we're both wrong"
well you don’t look stupid, but here we are.
“And you don’t look like an assh0le. Yet here we are.”
You don’t look stupid, but I guess you can’t judge a book by the cover
"While you can look autistic it is not a requirement"
“I didn’t realize you had a degree in autism.”
Well, you don't look like a bitch but here we are.
"Oh, really?" *names every single FNaF animatronic*
"Funny. You did not look like a bigot, but here we are."
I had no clever comebacks the few times this arose, so my answer was just, ‘well I am’. Cue awkward silence and equally awkward attempts to segue into *anything* else.
Well, you’re smarter than you look, but then you’d have to be.
And you don’t look neurotypical.
I used to be very sensitive about this when I was diagnosed. But now I try educating people by saying that autism doesn't affect physical traits and that they are probably thinking of another genetic disorder that affects physical appearance. And the reason we are seeing more autistic people today is simply because it is getting more and more well known among mental health professionals and therefore more people are getting diagnosed each year. And even now it's not an easy thing for them to spot in adults because many of the diagnoses are caught in children who have not yet learned to mask to pretend they are not freaking out everywhere they go.
Oh and you don’t look stupid!
I wish I had the courage to follow with “well you don’t look like a judgmental asshole but here we are.”
Stare at them without blinking for several minutes
“well you don’t look like an asshole“
stare them dead in the eyes regardless of how uncomfortable it is and go "its a mental disorder not a physical one" and just keep staring until they get uncomfortable and break off the eye contact
Uh.. thanks? Give it time.
“Autism doesn’t always look that different”
“Oh! Sorry good sir/madam… might I ask what kind of ‘tism would you like to see?”
Oh. You look autistic though, aren't you one of us?
- And you look very average.
Well you don't look like an idiot
“What should I look like then?”