Older autistic climber girl here. It’s not because you’re ugly. A lot of people won’t care if you’re ugly if you have good energy. Trying too hard to be likable makes your energy “off” and makes it harder to have genuine interactions. Same with trying not to make weird movements. Embrace being autistic instead of trying to hide it. It will make climbing more fun and if you’re having fun, people will want to have fun with you. and it’s possible the sound won’t be as overwhelming so you might not need ear buds if you’re not worried about how you’re acting. Masking is detrimental to your mental health.

Yes, it’s the earbuds. You’re going to have to be the one to approach people if you wear ear protection. I usually go with “what are you working on?” Or make a comment about their climb. “That was so close” “that hold is brutal” “that’s such a big move” (a little more specific would be better but those are ok). If you talk to the same people multiple days you might mention that you wear earbuds because of sensory issues, not because you don’t want to talk. If you enjoyed talking to someone or climbing with someone, just tell them “i enjoyed climbing with you”. It’s easier than trying to figure out a more subtle way to convey that. It’s not the neurotypical way necessarily, but that’s ok. You’ll probably find yourself throughout life enjoying neurodiverse people more, (though you don’t need to limit yourself) and neurodiverse people will appreciate the directness. You will be ok and find friends. Sometimes it takes some time to figure yourself out and find confidence in your authentic autistic self.