So then do you want to talk about these points?
I mean, the first one means 'shy'. The other ones could be described as 'geek' or 'Einstein'.
Nothing wrong with any of those. We all have different personality traits, right?
First, I think it is important to point something out. I have scrolled and skimmed through the rest of the thread and haven't noticed this being brought up (though when digital bickering starts sounding like my kids and real life, I have a tendency to tune out, ignore, and possibly miss something of merit)
Well, what I wanted to point out is that with something like being shy, that is only one area of life. Just because a person is shy does not mean they have autism; however, another person could both be shy and have autism.
For it to be autism there must be 2 or more areas of impediments. (I hope some stuff I'm thinking of/ wanting to share later will help explain the' 2 areas' comment better)
I'm sorry, I feel like this (my post) is getting choppy or might not make sense. I have been typing/deleting while the house was quiet and now people are up and keep talking to me/interrupting my thoughts, and I don't think it's getting typed out as clearly as I had thought out. That, or I'm just so used to being in/around autism all the time that things make sense to me that may not make sense to someone else without further explanations.
And actually, honestly, I feel that sometimes even with the best, clearest explanation that could be given, there are people who unless they live through it and experience this autistic world/community, they will never 'get it'. And by experience, I don't mean 'oh yeah, my nephew is on the spectrum. I see and hear what my sister and her family go through, I get it'. There is a BIG difference between having a knowledge of something, and some understanding and even empathy, and actually living through it. (my 2 cents)
Also:
"When you've met one person with autism, you've met one"
Which, really when you stop to think about it, should go with out saying. I mean if you've met one cop, you've met one cop. If you've met one teacher, you've met one teacher. So why do people feel the need to group all autistic individuals into some category like if you've met one you've met them all?
How is this spectrum disorder defined? Can you explain it?
I think that this AI summary does a pretty good job of doing such. This is a copy/paste summary, thus why the yellow highlight; however, I did at some point want to discuss the fact that it is across multiple contexts, and not just 1 such as discussed previously (example: does shyness mean having autism? No, not if shyness is the ONLY trait)
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) defines autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as follows:
Diagnostic Criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by all of the following:
- Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, such as failure to engage in reciprocal social interactions, difficulties in coordinating attention and behavior with others, and lack of shared enjoyment, interests, or emotions.
- Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, such as eye contact, body language, and gestures.
- Deficits in understanding and use of social relationships, such as difficulties adjusting behavior to different social contexts, interpreting nonverbal cues, and understanding friendships.
B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by all of the following:
- Repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (e.g., hand flapping, spinning, repetitive speech).
- Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of behavior.
- Highly restricted interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus.
- Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interests in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g., indifference to pain or extreme sensitivity to sounds, textures, or smells).
C. Symptoms must be present early in the developmental period (typically before age 5).
D. The symptoms cannot be better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or a global developmental delay.
Specify Severity Level:
Level 1: Requires support, Level 2: Requires substantial support, and Level 3: Requires very substantial support.
The DSM-5 provides a more dimensional approach to diagnosing ASD, recognizing that individuals may exhibit varying degrees of severity and symptoms. It is important to note that these criteria are intended to be used by qualified mental health professionals for diagnostic purposes. 
and never fully answering the question of "does being shy mean you have autism"?
