If I were to research this, I would get conflicting answers likely being between Yes there are, or No, more people are just being diagnosed neurodivergent.

Personally, I am kinda starting to believe everyone is somewhere on some kind of spectrum. The brain is horrendously complex and less well known and proven disorders, it seems kinda silly to try and classify what "normal" should be.

[–] Geodad@beehaw.org 13 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There are as many Autistic people as there have always been. The only thing is that we have become better at screening and categorizing them.

There has always been that person who was all about trains, and could tell you anything about any train from memory. There have always been "Lennys" who have been caught up in the prison system or worse. Now we just know that they are/were autistic.

[–] MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net 3 points 17 hours ago

My spouse's father was a train guy. When he passed, she inherited a dozen or so photo albums of just trains. Very "normal" hobby.

I'm not sure about my dad. He was an anti-intellectual functioning alcoholic. But I'm pretty sure my grandfather was autistic. His special interest was in historical military equipment, which is "normal" so he got a pass.

Both of these people fell in love, had kids, paid taxes, hell, probably even played baseball. You know, all those things Secretary Brainworm said would never happen.