What do you think about telling others you're an aspie?

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My original thoughts were that if people have an issue with it then it is THEIR issue...but I'm really not so sure any more.

If I mention it I will do as if it is nothing, to me it's not some secret shame or horrific disorder so I don't see it as being any different to saying 'I'm gay' 'I'm Christian' 'I'm English' etc. but it does still sometimes stick in my throat because there is a fear about how people will react - normally the fear that people will suddenly start treating me like I'm simple-minded.

Should we really fear telling others?

It would be like a black person acting and appearing white, or a gay person in the closet.

Be an honest and clear mirror.

I have found that telling others is like planting a seed that will grow into a mighty tree, a mighty tree that offers shade to many,

While we remain an unknown condition, compassion and services will be hard to come by.

Then there is the issue of very HFA, living in humiliated confusion and ignorance of why they are super successful in many areas, except relationships......free them!

I assume you mean why you're on the spectrum for those of us who don't specifically have Asperger's, but...

In theory, I want to be open about it, because I strongy believe in education. In practice, I often can't find the words and go silent.

I've told people I have Asperger's; but usually they either don't know what to say, or else just don't care...(often told people I consider to be a friend or acquaintance...)

I've told some people, usually they accept it but don't really try to understand it

I usually don't tell anyone. I don't think that most people know what AS is, so telling them, for me, is like giving them a piece of information that they don't know what to do with.

On the other hand, I agree that it increases acceptance, but I guess I feel too shy myself to be an ambassador.

I think they will look it up on Google, read a load of really negative stuff that isn't relative to me, read the phrase "Suffers from Asperger's Syndrome" and then think I'm really mentally ill and disabled

I tend to be fairly selective about what I say in particular contexts, so I don't tell everyone that I am autistic. I'm not ashamed of it, but I think sometimes it can create more work or trouble for me. I have definitely had the experience of having people behave more condescendingly toward me and treat me as incapable of comprehension once they heard it, which is pretty busted. I've had a couple of people stop talking to me almost entirely once I told them.

That said, I don't particularly try to hide it so much as I don't bring it up.

i usually tell others when the topic comes up, when i am lead into explaining quirks or sensory issues, mainly.
on other occasions, there were questions about my sexuality, becouse i didn't have a girlfriend in 5 years (to their knowledge, they dont know me longer then that), so there's a reason to tell as well.

in my experience, the ones i told either had no clue, but were willing to learn (from me), knew the basics from personal experience (old friends/classmates), or had heared/read up on simular issues (HFA and the more general ADD (this was a psycology student)).
i would tell more people, but i have a lot of trouble creating the topic, so i just kinda wait for an opportunity/reason to tell them.

It depends on how educated the person is. If you think you might be talking to an ignorant boorish type, then don't disclose anything to him or anyone he knows. If a possible friend just disclosed something personal about himself--maybe he has his own learning disability or a dysfunctional family--that means he trusts you, and that's a good hint that you could trust him and tell him about your condition. Since my particular AS doesn't significantly impair my job functioning, I see no need to tell anyone related to my work (I'm a piano teacher). However if your AS symptoms severely impede your productivity, it might be worth a mention to you supervisor or boss.

I haven't told anyone, and I don't plan on it. It's not that I'm ashamed of it or anything, people are just so ignorant and poorly informed on the topic I don't think it's worth my time.

Yes, that fear of how people might react or what they might think or say is definitely an issue at times, but then I also try (intellectually and not emotionally, of course) to think a little about what it might be like to be in their shoes and to hear about something you really know nothing about and might not even be curious. So, sometimes I just say nothing at all until I might end up actually doing or saying something "Aspie-style", and then I might make some kind of off-handed "wink"-type of comment about that and in a way that is more introspective like reciting a given symptom directly from the "list" in my mind than saying something directly "Little Professor") informational. For example:

There are times I just get to talking way too much, of course , but then I might actually catch myself doing that and then just say something like, "Oh my, there I go again!" Few people will then ask what I mean, but I just continue on anyway and make some kind of comment about "Rainman" ... and then follow that with something to let them know I am not really a lot like him even though I do fall into a similar category ...

... and then if they ask anything about that, that is when I try to decide just how much I really even should say.

I still very new to being diagnosed, and I have no friends and anyone outside my immidiate family who knows is a doctor

When I come to this later on in life I will simply say "I'm autistic", try to gauge their reaction and base my further responses on their knowledge of autism spectrum disorder.

I don't have any problem with it. I think that most people who know me know. I think it's good that they know there's a reason behind how i act. I've even posted autism-related stuff on my facebook page. I don't see why you'd be afraid to tell people.

No! Simple to say someone hey i have asperger, no way. Put self on his or her place. No one who isn't your family or closer friend care. I told my husband and he find it ok,but he isn't sure if i have, he thinks I'm simply closed person. And i told one school friend, he don't write me more and do not speak with me.

I have posted autism-related stuff on my facebook profile as well. Under my interests I put in the WP site. I figure it's like code. If you know what wrongplanet is, you probably also know what to make of AS. If someone looking at my profile doesn't know what wronplanet is about, then just the act of going to the site to take a look would provide them with some education. I also have some stuff on there from my support group. Nothing is explicitly stated.