'When did you first realise that you were 'different'?'

That was pretty harsh - what was she trying to prove?

My earliest realisation was when I was 5 at infant school.

The school had one of those polystyrene hot-wire cutters and a load of ceiling tiles and lump of polystyrene so the teacher was up front telling us about it and how it worked and explaining we could all cut out some shapes with it.

I remember all the kids cutting out 2d shapes that were quite primitive.

I cut out a 3d shape of a fire engine.

There was a sort of stunned silence. The teacher asked me how I had done it and I clearly remember saying about how I was disappointed that I couldn't cut out the wheelarches and fit wheels because the wire was straight and couldn't do concave shapes.

I remember my parents being told I should go to a special school for bright kids but, as I have a NT twin brother and my parents were a bit useless, it wasn't possible and didn't happen.

I could do perspective and 3d drawings at 6, all self-taught and reasoned out. Even now I do all my own house plans and building regs drawings.

Gosh that was so humiliating, I would have done exactly the same in your situation and probably reacted in a similar way afterwards. I have NEVER written a 3 with a flat top, or asked to do so for that matter. What that 'teacher' did was abuse, they wouldn't get away with that now but back in the 60s and 70s that was normal.

I had a similar humiliation moment like yours when I was 5 and a half. I had just moved house to a new town so didn't know anybody in the road. Our new house was equal distance between two primary schools and unfortunately my parents didn't send me to the school most of the other kids went to, so I was an outsider to begin with. Within the first few days of moving in I saw several kids playing out in the road so took my bike out in the hope of joining them and making friends. However being a typical aspie with naff co-ordination and physical skills I needed stabilisers, unlike the other kids in the road. I was instantly laughed at and ridiculed for this, causing me to go home crying and to never attempt to play in the street for another 5 years until I'd finally mastered riding a bike without stabilisers...yes it took me that long!

I'd had earlier clues, but this was the big moment for me.  I never really liked being with other kids, and always hated doing group activities.

Even though that was certainly a traumatising incident, I do think any child would have experienced it in the same way. I suspect most children (at least in my primary school) wouldn't have figured it out without help. That teacher was incompetent if you ask me.

Interesting how you connect this specific episode to being autistic and different.