I definitely view anyone broadcasting their mental illness to all with huge amounts of skepticism.

I have had a couple of friends tell me they're autistic in private before as an apology for being awkward or something, and I'm inclined to believe that since i suspected within about 5 seconds of talking with them.

I think for people who have spent any time around an autistic person, it becomes very obvious. It doesn't need to even be said. The autistic person might think so however because they can't understand why it's obvious, and go around and tell people about it when they first meet because someone told them it's a good idea and they're clueless socially beyond what people tell them.

Kinda plays into the trans stuff, since they can be easily influenced. Take a straight autistic guy that likes girls but is into weird anime shit, couple that with sexual frustration, then you'll have a bunch of people online telling them they're trans. They might be inclined to believe it.

Alternatively autistic people sometimes give the best most hilarious takedowns of this shit as well. Something about not understanding the social norms leads to some very unorthodox responses which is great. I always defend the autists when they are getting shit on for speaking facts because quite frankly it's an excellent socially acceptable excuse to other the trans-activist types. Oh I'm not friends with "zey zem" not because they are trans, but because they are mean to autistic people. Piece of shit. They attack you for talking shit about them, making them look more like shit, and boom, they're ostracized from everyone sometimes even the trans circle implodes because the performative assholes all have to get in their dig.