The term you use to refer to your diagnosis

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Thank you, I'm glad someone brought this up and it's precisely why I say autistic instead of aspergers, there's nothing high funtioning about me and I don't like people assuming I can do things i can't because I have "mild autism" etc.

And I dislike it when people say that they choose to say "aspergers" over autism because they don't want to be accociated with those who are "less high funtioing or stereotypical", people like me who can't live independantly or go anywhere alone.

I have never told anyone that I have AS, mostly for very obvious reasons, especially considering the fact that I don't have an official diagnosis. But, if I had to explain it, I would use the term aspie for the reason quoted below.

Yeah, people thinking I might be even more disabled than I actually am doesn't really phase me. I've picked up some level of that my entire life anyway because of the way I process and respond to information in real time.

And I don't really get the worry about being associated with people who have more severe symptoms.

I am kind of curious about the idea that putting everything under one diagnosis will make it difficult for "low functioning" autistic people to access needed services.

When I am going into detail for some odd reason, I say I have severe high-functioning autism. Generally I just say HFA. I used to say Aspergers, but now that I know for sure that my diagnosis would actually be classic autism because of my language delay/regression, I just say HFA or autism. For the poll I chose HFA.

I really don't care what it is called, but if I had to pick one, I would prefer high-functioning autism.

Reason: I am hypersensitive to mocking. "Aspergers" can be too easily turned into "ass burger" by people who want to make fun of me, and "Aspie" can become "ass pie." To say "high-functioning autism" puts the emphasis on the "high function" part. It reminds myself and others that whether or not what I have is a disorder, I can still function. Highly.

Edit, after reading over some of the other answers: I mean no offense to those of you who cannot live independently or get stereotyped as "low functioning." IMO, if you are aware of having a difference that makes it awkward for you to function in an NT world, but you do anyway, in any capacity, you are high-functioning. Period. You play the best possible hand with the cards you are dealt, and a lot of "normal" people can't say they do that.

I usually say that I'm on the autism spectrum. Although I was diagnosed with AS at 7 and with PDD-NOS at 9, I feel like my symptoms have changed to the degree where I may not recieve a diagnosis...however, my mind is still wired to tat of a person on the spectrum and perhaps I am still on it somewhere. So, I refer to myself as being on the spectrum.

I just say aspie or form of autism. I do not use the word mild because people seem to think mild is nothing and will over estimate me but yet they under estimate me so I should say mild but then they go over estimating me. You can't win.

I always say "on the spectrum", too. I don't feel comfortable with the label of AS itself because there is currently no clear distinction between Asperger's and autism aside from the language delay at birth. I am not so sure as to whether Asperger's is even the correct label for me. I'm not really okay with being defined by a label in general.

I say autism when speaking to people but more accurately I fit high functioning autism.

I fit the definition of "high functioning" although I tend to avoid HFA/LFA for various reasons.

I am not sure that your definition of high functioning wouldn't classify some who do fit the definition of "low functioning" as high functioning, though. You make it sound like LFA is lacking awareness or function at all, and I am not sure that is correct.

NeuroSuperior.

It depends on who's asking. My default answer is autism or AS to those in the know

So far I say Aspergers though the only one I talk to about it is my mom.

"You know how most people drive automatics?

My mind is a stick shift."

Or:

"Most people run Mac or Windows for their mental software. I run Linux."

I don't like the loaded terminology of "autism," and when I say I can't read body language most people find that somewhat incomprehensible. Making car and computer analogies seems to be much better.

I don't function in the NT world, I don't go to school or work or go out socialising - unless you count mental health wards

Here's something I've learned since coming here: people can have all these basic things like a job/good school and good language, a spouse, a home, and they can still struggle with basic things and find everyday an agonising uphill battle, a nervous wreck by the end, and I don't think theres anything high funtioing that life, I lived like that for years and eventually I cracked.

I think of mine as mild autism because it's an accurate way to describe what I experience in life. I am not severely affected and experience autistic moments. So voila. There it is.