Should I conform?

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So a lot of the time, neurotypicals will assume acting in a certain way always means the same thing, which I hate a lot, but I'm not sure whether to change my behaviour to try and prevent them misunderstanding me.

Recently I discovered that it's seen as extremely rude to wear headphones if they're not connected and seen to mean that you don't want to talk to someone. I often wear my headphones when they're not connected, either because I forgot to take them out when I turned my music off, or because my mp3 player's clipped to my tshirt and if I took them out they'd fall down and tangle and get in the way, or just because it's comfortable. I had no idea other people could feel insulted by it. (Or why "don't want to talk" is seen as the only reason possible for wearing unconnected headphones. NTs are weird.)

It upsets me to think that I could be offending people, so I'm considering trying to give it up and learning to always take out my headphones before I speak to someone. But on the other hand, I don't see why I should conform to neurotypical ideas when they're wrong. Asperger's is only a disability because everyone is expected to behave like an NT and I want to change that, even if it's only in tiny ways like wearing headphones even if I want to talk to people. But I'm not sure which it would be best to do in situations like this now.

I would say its pointless to conform since your doing no harm and it makes literally know logical sense for someone to be offended by someone wearing unplugged headphones.

EDIT: I was in a very bad mood which made my previous post.

It's considered rude. Nothing to do with your brain wiring and not just to do with you "not wanting to talk" but could also be misconstrued as you evesdropping.

If an NT were found in similar circs, they'd get pulled for it too. Believe me, I know from experience.

I'm sure all the NTs you know are terrible people but if they are making comments regarding you being unwilling to talk, maybe they were just trying to be friendly.
I know, I know. An NT bring friendly. What next, the end of the world, right?

If it happens again, just tell em you weren't feeling in the mood to be chatty. Pesky lil NTs won't trouble you again.

F**K them.
I do pull one out when going through the supermarket checkout (so they know I can hear them - even though I have my music paused already).

In NT language, wearing headphones means "I don't want to be social."
In Aspie language, wearing headphones can have many different meanings depending on the individual.

What I personally would do, if I wanted to reach out to meet NT people and make friends, is this:

First, I would remove the headphones, ... temporarily perhaps ...
so the NTs would understand that I was open to talking.
Second, I would do my best to get to know them ... hopefully we would get along well ...
and when we had a good relationship of mutual trust and respect,
(not immediately, certainly not on the first day you meet them, this could take some time) ...
I would explain,
"By the way, if you ever see me walking around wearing headphones,
it's nothing personal, it's just comfortable and convenient ....
because I have sensory issues, and super-sensitive hearing.
Please feel welcome to come up to me and I'll be happy to see you."

At that point, a real friend should understand you.
You can't expect mere strangers or even casual acquaintances to understand.

Meanwhile, I'm an Aspie ... and if I see some random person wearing headphones,
I'm going to assume they don't want to talk to me.
I won't know if the headphone-wearer is an Aspie or an NT,
because he or she could be anybody,
extrovert, introvert, whatever.

Not conforming about headphones is like refusing to speak English because you
made up your own science fiction language
and have decided that your personal pretend language
is the only one you will speak.

Sure, you can choose not to conform,
sure you can speak your own language that nobody else understands ...
... and surely then what will be understandable
is that people will get the idea you don't want to communicate with them,
because you prefer doing your own thing in a way
that makes sharing difficult.

NEVER conform unless you WANT to conform. other people who want YOU to conform to THEM are just cow plop.