Gettting a diagnosis

Only get a diagnosis if you have serious difficulties in your life and need to resolve them. A diagnosis will explain those difficulties and point to a way to resolve them. There are plenty of people who have autism and are not diagnosed and go about their lives fine. Its not trendy to be autistic. 

I think I partly agree with you, but at the same time, developing an autistic identity can be affirming for people - it certainly was for me. I now understand myself much better and with a diagnosis I can now get the support that I require in certain situations. If anything, my diagnosis has helped me appreciate who I am and explain some of  my differences.

I don't think you develop an autistic identity myself per se, you are already like that and have been since birth. In my opinion I think a part of the benefit is that (similar to what you said) you can start to ACCEPT YOURSELF for who you are and not feel like you have to change to suit other people or at some point you will be like everyone else.

I don't think you develop an autistic identity myself per se, you are already like that and have been since birth. In my opinion I think a part of the benefit is that (similar to what you said) you can start to ACCEPT YOURSELF for who you are and not feel like you have to change to suit other people or at some point you will be like everyone else.

Yes I do agree with you - I think my phrasing was somewhat poor there. I think that it is the recognition of an autistic identity, one which is now defined 'officially' as such, rather than just immediately 'becoming autistic'.