Tell people you have autism

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It's a catch-22.

If you tell people you have autism, they might treat you condescendingly and at the very worst, treat you like a stereotypical "ret*d."

If you don't tell people you have autism, they might treat you like a weirdo and at the very worst, a rapist.

I have been called so many things, I can't remember what. I laugh at insults. Now, that really unhinges a few people. Apparently, they expect me to wilt before them.

Yes, i don't tell anyone, not because i am ashamed, but because people don't understand. To be fair, most of the chatting on this site is a way of trying to work out what is and isn't related to ASD. Sure, there are general explanations avaliable or descriptions of what it is like if you have ASD, but that tells you very little. The lived experience is way more complex, and even after being on this site for ages, and hearing lots of stories, and thoughts, its still a bit of a mystery. Everyone is different after all, and experience ASD differently, depending on their personality, and all manor of different factors.
To expect someone with no personal experience, even if they have some knowledge about ASD, to properly appreciate or understand, is in most situations, just not workable. That said, there are always some exceptions.
In some cases it might be necessary to tell someone you have ASD, if for example you need special treatment or help in a particular circumstance. This can come with many drawbacks. I remember i guy writing on here that he needed his wife to view his actions in the past, differently to how she does now, because they were at break up point, and he hoped that she might be more understanding, and life could be easier if she knew.
I probably over simplified that account, but despite getting a second chance, one of the downsides, was that she started to make excuses for him, creating a perceived barrier of mental unaccountably. This i would think very frustrating, as though ASD might shine a light on certain behaviours, it doesn't necessarily explain them to others.
As a poster previous said, describing how certain things might effect you in certain situations, is probably a better way to go, then launching into ASD sharing. People can relate to having emotional or mental difficulties with certain situations, more easily than they can trying to properly understand ASD.

It may be possible to make yourself up a very basic psychological ASD/ASC profile that gives a very basic overview of your strengths and weaknesses. I was thinking that something like the old Trump cards would be useful.

Also, i recently suggested to the local Autism service that they should consider making profiles for each of the members of the service, as each person has specific strengths and weaknesses, with some of the members having special interests and in some cases talent.

I think that such a database of profiles could be used to help those with ASD/ASC find the best services to help them, but also could be used to utilize their skills/special interests/talent. Not only to help the Autism services but also to help the ASC/ASD sufferer either find suitable gainful employment or even become self employed.

In many cases, sufferers of ASC/ASD can be very creative and some can potentially be rock stars and artists of the future, however, due to having no social skills, may not reach their commercial potential because they can not communicate or survive around neurotypicals (especially in the cut throat world of creative arts such as music).

In such cases, such people could be connected with a trustworthy neurotypical who could become their business advisor or in some cases manager, who will do all the business things and communicating while letting the Aspo's get on with the creative side of things.

I also thought that another idea for creatives, would be for one of the Autism services to provide a workspace for aspo's where they can develop their products or art work etc. Which could then be sold via the Autism services and the profit shared. This, would then give the aspo's a workspace and a community, with out the pressure of a normal nt working environment.

No and they would think I am crazy & weird regardless. My estimate is that the overwhelming majority of people are completely clueless about autism and I have no interest in educating people, I don't like making myself vulnerable in this way.

in my experience, people are people and they come in all shapes and sizes.
Some, like you say will treat you like a ret*d, a weirdo or rapist. I am starting to think that these people will treat you like this regardless of who you are or what you suffer from.
Others, will treat you with respect what ever you are or what ever you have done.

My advice in life, is to find those in the latter category, and hold on to them for your life.
Although such people will not always be the cool and trendy "cool kids", but will be the open hearted kind people who you may find working for charities, in some churches or at the local buddhist meditation center (although be careful about getting into cults).

Sometimes, the nice people are among the cool kids, although less often than not. You may also find kinship among other aspo's who are as you are. and suffer the same problems.

You may also find kinship among people with the same interests as yourself. I do among people who are into Judo and music mostly.