Self-Disclosing: Do you tell others about autism?

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am severely classic autistic and dont communicate or interact with people to tell them anything about self, but its very visualy and behavioraly obvious to other people and get given a wide berth though have always got two support staff with self and they often get questioned about it by total strangers who think theyve got the right to someones private information.

am not of the belief that secrecy means its harder to make relationships,what people dont know doesnt hurt them,and it allows people to get used to a person before having some generic labels thrown at them which they coud have a lot of stereotypes built up in their mind about.

Yeah, I disclose. But I don't disclose as "I'm autistic", and leave it as that. I disclose because people ask me about some sensory tool I'm using and I explain why I use it, which includes the fact that I'm autistic.

I don't go out of my way to share that I'm autistic, I also don't go out of the way to hide that I'm autistic. This in the end means I'm "disclosing" pretty early in on meeting people, though I don't view it as such. It's just not hiding things. It's openly blogging about autism. It's openly being the autism reference in a group. It's correcting people completely every time they get something about autism wrong. It's openly using sensory tools, openly stimming, and if I need it, having an AAC app. People ask, I answer. I explain details beyond just "I'm autistic". I don't leave it as a label. I explain parts of my sensory system (because that's probably what made people notice).

People get the label before really getting to know me, but, they get to know my version of the label when they get the label. And that's not purposeful, its when it comes up. It's always when it comes up. I just actively refuse to hide.

I do. I'm in a psych program, so if I don't tell people, they usually figure it out anyway. Plus, it actually helps other people approach me easier, otherwise they get freaked out and confused by my actions sometimes.

But advocacy is also my thing and I would rather have people put me into stereotypes than get weirded out and laugh at me. Although I don't disclose right away many times to let the person get to know me better, so that there's less possibility of stereotyping. I don't look like a stereotypical Aspie anyway. I don't always disclose ASD, but I always do disclose a disability that impacts my ability to interact socially (and other things if necessary).

If I was dating, then no I wouldn't tell them until it was serious, or they managed to read about it on a previous status of mine on Facebook.

Work place, no probably wouldn't tell them unless it was affecting my work, and I needed to let them know.

I've not really had a reason not to disclose, except on dating sites.

I don't go out of my way to tell people I'm autistic, but if it's relevant I will. Such instances include professors who might need to know (I won't be officially diagnosed for another week or so, so it's mostly just a heads-up for them about my odd sensory behaviour more than in a bid for accommodations.) My mom will also tell people, either randomly if the topic of her kids comes up in conversation, or if she needs to explain why I said something apparently odd or otherwise socially inappropriate. I've told close friends, but it's not something we talk about a lot, they mostly just took it in stride.