Published on 12, July, 2020
Do you look younger than your age?
Could this be autism related?
An autistic friend mentioned this to me the other day and then it was commented on in a thread here today.
I do look younger than my age and so does my friend - maybe by as much as a decade (on a good day).
Yes! How interesting. I've always hated it... it's given people an excuse to patronise me or not take me seriously professionally. "Aww... but you look about 12... don't worry it's a compliment". Leaves me seething. ID at pubs and supermarket right into my 30s.
It has reduced recently, probably because I've become more guarded, but to be honest I've probably just, in late 30s, reached the tipping point of being grateful for looking young, while peers are losing hair / going grey maybe I'm winning on this occasion!
A lot of it is probably random, but I wonder whether some autistic traits and mannerisms are considered "child-like" on first appearance.