Written by someone who was actually diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (which is autism, yes) at 11 years old. Popular media has resulted in people's perception of autism spectrum becoming skewed towards an image that has become increasingly irritating for someone who actually has the condition, as people will either liken us to assholes and psychos or assume that we're geniuses. 
1. Yes, it's a spectrum
But not a weird, made-up spectrum like the gender spectrum. In some cases you can immediately tell someone is a bit unusual, and then in other cases, you may never tell at all.
2. No, we're not geniuses
Real people like Albert Einstein and Amadeus Mozart have set the bar high, even though we don't really know if they were autistic, and characters like Dr Gregory House and Sherlock Holmes that display mild signs of it have led to the belief that we're deductive geniuses (well, maybe I am). One of the worst offenders is Raymond from Rain Man, an autistic savant who can barely function alone but is capable of working numbers like a supercomputer. This is simply a single fictional case of a genius; real autism doesn't suddenly turn you into Batman.
3. Yes, we have emotions and empathy
If we didn't, we'd be called antisocial, not autistic. Bit of a no-brainer. The best way to explain it from an autist's POV is we actually have quite strong emotions, we just have trouble managing them and showing them.
4. No, being an aspie will not make you smarter or cooler; being an aspie sucks
Suicide rates are high as fuck for people on the spectrum for a reason; most of the time, being isolated and unable to give a shit about most things has led to us living in a constant state of misery and anxiety. On that note, stop romanticising suicide. Whoever keeps writing that dumb "angels returning to heaven" quote needs some sad pills.
5. Yes, this is still being written by someone with autism
You might be skeptical because I seem to be pretty normal-sounding, right? Not too smart or dumb, no weird tics, just an article. That's because I'm high functioning as fuck, but trust me, I've got it. You'd need to meet me in real life and pay close attention but it would be evident eventually. Once you know the signs, you might be surprised to find that you might even know someone on the spectrum.
6. No, we are not just like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory
From this point forward, consider using the name "Sheldon" around someone on the spectrum like using the N-word. Imagine autism like a hat for a moment; everyone wearing it looks sort of similar because of it, and when a few people are wearing the same hat you start to overlook the individual traits. We're all different under the hat, all still individuals, we just seem sort of similar. Now, Sheldon is a terrible depiction of autism already, but assuming he has it, take the hat off for a moment and you'll find that Sheldon's a massive asshat.
Other possible entries
Women can have it too, it's just harder to see
Yes, there is a neurological difference between someone with and without autism
No, you don't "grow out of it"
About "special interests"
Famous characters that might have autism, picked out by someone with it (Batman? Clint Eastwood's Man With No Name? Doctor Who?)
1. Yes, it's a spectrum
But not a weird, made-up spectrum like the gender spectrum. In some cases you can immediately tell someone is a bit unusual, and then in other cases, you may never tell at all.
Classic autism: A child is given this diagnosis if he or she has a lack of interest in other people, displays little or no emotions, has difficulty communicating, and exhibits repetitive behaviours that are evident before the age of three.
Asperger's syndrome: Also known as 'high-functioning autism', children with Asperger's syndrome have normal to exceptional intelligence and language skills. However, children with this disorder also have difficulties with social interaction and communication, and may show repetitive behaviours. For that reason, the disorder is often picked up later than classic autism.
Pervasive developmental disorder or atypical autism: This diagnosis is given to children who do not meet the full criteria for classic autism or Asperger's syndrome. But they may have difficulties with social interaction and communication, and/or display repetitive behaviours.
2. No, we're not geniuses
Real people like Albert Einstein and Amadeus Mozart have set the bar high, even though we don't really know if they were autistic, and characters like Dr Gregory House and Sherlock Holmes that display mild signs of it have led to the belief that we're deductive geniuses (well, maybe I am). One of the worst offenders is Raymond from Rain Man, an autistic savant who can barely function alone but is capable of working numbers like a supercomputer. This is simply a single fictional case of a genius; real autism doesn't suddenly turn you into Batman.
3. Yes, we have emotions and empathy
If we didn't, we'd be called antisocial, not autistic. Bit of a no-brainer. The best way to explain it from an autist's POV is we actually have quite strong emotions, we just have trouble managing them and showing them.
4. No, being an aspie will not make you smarter or cooler; being an aspie sucks
Suicide rates are high as fuck for people on the spectrum for a reason; most of the time, being isolated and unable to give a shit about most things has led to us living in a constant state of misery and anxiety. On that note, stop romanticising suicide. Whoever keeps writing that dumb "angels returning to heaven" quote needs some sad pills.
A small body of research is showing worryingly high rates of suicidality in people with autism. In a large-scale clinical study1 of adults newly diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, 66% reported that they had contemplated suicide, significantly higher than rates among the UK general population (17%) and patients with psychosis (59%); 35% had planned or attempted suicide. A large-scale population study2 showed that suicide is a leading cause of premature death in people with autism.
5. Yes, this is still being written by someone with autism
You might be skeptical because I seem to be pretty normal-sounding, right? Not too smart or dumb, no weird tics, just an article. That's because I'm high functioning as fuck, but trust me, I've got it. You'd need to meet me in real life and pay close attention but it would be evident eventually. Once you know the signs, you might be surprised to find that you might even know someone on the spectrum.
6. No, we are not just like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory
From this point forward, consider using the name "Sheldon" around someone on the spectrum like using the N-word. Imagine autism like a hat for a moment; everyone wearing it looks sort of similar because of it, and when a few people are wearing the same hat you start to overlook the individual traits. We're all different under the hat, all still individuals, we just seem sort of similar. Now, Sheldon is a terrible depiction of autism already, but assuming he has it, take the hat off for a moment and you'll find that Sheldon's a massive asshat.
Other possible entries
Women can have it too, it's just harder to see
Yes, there is a neurological difference between someone with and without autism
No, you don't "grow out of it"
About "special interests"
Famous characters that might have autism, picked out by someone with it (Batman? Clint Eastwood's Man With No Name? Doctor Who?)
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