In my family it seems that we all have some degree of Autism.  I personally am convinced that Autism is genetically linked, and varies in intensity.  From the hardly effected at all high functioning person with Aspergers syndrome, to those who will need care for life.  In my family we have a wide spread of that spectrum.  In particular, my sister who was diagnosed with Autism and treated in elementary school as if that always meant low function. 
My sister was diagnosed with Autism at the age of about 6.  She seemed normal then regressed in certain ways.  The public school system where we live is/was kind of backwards about special needs/exceptional children.  

Her symptoms were an extreme shyness, and would stick close to the teacher.  She would repeat whatever was said around her, and whatever she said.  She would make strange faces for her own amusement.  She would just talk weather anyone was listening or not.  

 Her label of Autism made them say she was ineducable, that she would never learn anything.  And so she was sent to a school for special needs students.  Where they had children who were simply blind, or deaf, or even severely retarded, or had very low functioning autism.  So what did my sister do?   She taught herself American Sign language so that she could communicate with the hearing impaired children. When I noticed that I thought surely they would realize she was just as smart as anyone just a bit quirky.   Nope.  Once a label is put on it stays on.  Especially if that label is Autism. 

                                                                                                                                                 
My mother actually had to fight to get the Autism label off of her, and replaced with a label  of severe retardation so she could go to the main highschool.  While there she made honor roll most semesters, graduating with honors.  She was the homecoming Queen in her senior year.  She would go on to graduate from culinary school with honors as well. She was certainly NOT retarded.   She has also had some success as an actor and model.  Working as an extra in a couple of movies shot here in Chicago

My sisters life with Autism could be summed up as being underestimated constantly because she ignores some of the social conventions in order to connect with people across boundaries. Once she got over her shyness she was just fine.  Given her achievements I would say if anything she is a prime example of someone with Aspergers syndrome. 

As I understand it people with Asperger's syndrome don't have any delay in development of language abilities.  They do however have difficulty socially and have to really work at dealing with people.  This leads them to either not having friends, or conversely having a few close friends.   They tend to ignore the rules of society which say people like X and people like Y are not supposed to get along.  Or that because they are in some social class/grouping they should not hang around with people in a grouping of supposedly "lower status".  Social status has little to no meaning to them. 

Now how about the rest of my family.  No one else in my family has been diagnosed officially.  But I have seen the following symptoms of Autism. 

Stimming (Things those with Autism do to stimulate themselves):  My sister's talking just to hear herself.  My father, A medical doctor and foot surgeon (retired) repeating certain phrases or noises,  and myself I realize that at times I hit myself, not hard just because.  Me and my father both pace allot.   

Defiance of social status conventions: 

 As I mentioned above my sister went to the point of learning sign language so she could converse with the hearing impaired children.  She became homecoming queen because she would just walk up to anyone and everyone and ask for their vote.   Regardless of clique, status, race, or anything.

Me myself.   I am a Muslim (There is no God but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God).  I am a transsexual woman (which is something people in the west assume, incorrectly will get you legally executed in most Muslim countries.) I am a physicist, which for some reason allot of people equate with being and atheist. I have earned money in a way that many would say contradicts or does not fit with the other two.  In the process I made friends who did likewise. 


I can only conclude that if my sister was Autistic or had Aspergers then so must I and my father. 

What this has meant practically for our lives in my opinion has not been bad.  My subjective experiences of life overall have been good, as have my sisters.  There have been bumps, my fathers blindness making him retire, and honestly life would be easier if I were a gender typical male.... but then who knows maybe I am good at what I do because I am not neurotypical.  

I would not want to be cured of any of these things, because the cure would mean I would stop being who I am.