2 points
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This is interesting, because I have the same things happen with different reasons behind them. Responding to a joke as though I didn’t understand it was one is something I find internally amusing, and my own sense of humor is pretty dry/deadpan so people do miss sometimes when I’m “joking back” as it were

I think the dividing line is the intensity/frequency, unless one knows one is diagnosed. My coworkers for example pick up on the differences in the way I talk when I’m joking vs sincere pretty quick, and likewise learn that I find some small amusing in being irritating now and again

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5 points

And it’s always awkward to explain I’m also joking. Most times I just pretend I’m being serious just to save myself the hassle of explaining I was actually continuing the joke

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3 points

Same for me LOL (also not autistic)

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15 points

OP what makes you think you’re not? This post is autistic AF, as someone autistic.

I’m very high masking when I choose to be (sometimes when I’m not… it’s sort of automatic by nature at times) and in a lot of cases people never know. I was in my 30s before I figured it out, and I used to use the saying “I’m not autistic but” a lot.

There are free tests available. AMA (not a pro but I have over 30yrs experience!)

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7 points

I was diagnosed with autism at a young age, but that actually turned out to be a different thing (xxy), so I no longer have the diagnosis. So it’s still possible, but not probable, more likely partly a result of xxy and not autism.

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4 points

Interesting, thanks for sharing. I have heard of xxy, but not how it can look neurodivergent, so that will be my light reading for the evening!

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I think part of it for me is in hearing the joke, I hear the subject reduced to simplicity, in some cases with ugly stereotypes, so I feel compelled to explain the nuance.

A recent example came up when someone made a 72 virgins joke recently (the promised heavenly reward for a muslim man who lives rightly features seventy-two concubines)

And as a result, I broke into an explanation of Houri (but spared them the complexities of jihad ).

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