Hosted by Dr. Angela Kingdon, this episode features artist and activist Sarah Davies, who shares how she went from a dyslexia diagnosis in childhood to discovering her autism at 34.

Together, Angela and Sarah discuss identity, unmasking, self-advocacy, and what it means to call yourself a “neurodivergent baddie.”

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr. Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate

Guest: Sarah Davies — Autistic and Dyslexic artist, campaigner, and community organiser from Wales

You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

1. Opening remarks from the Chair
2. Member introduction: Sarah’s late diagnosis story
3. Discussion: Life before and after diagnosis
4. Key learnings from the meeting
5. Club announcements

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela welcomed listeners to The Late Diagnosis Club — a space where Autistic and Neurodivergent adults can find community, connection, and conversation.

“We’re not here to fix ourselves — we’re here to find each other.”

2️⃣ Member Introduction: Sarah’s Story

Sarah shared how she first identified as Dyslexic in school, but didn’t receive her autism diagnosis until age 34. She described years of masking, burnout, and finally, the relief of understanding her neurotype.

“It wasn’t that I was too much — I was just trying to fit into the wrong room.”

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• Dopamine Dressing: Using bright colours and creative expression as self-regulation and joy.
• Hyperfocus for Healing: How her curiosity about GLP-1 science helped her reconnect with her body.
• Activism & Advocacy: From campaigning against the UK “bedroom tax” to founding Wrexham’s local Autistic meetup group.
• Community as Medicine: Why Autistic friendships feel grounding, not draining.

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• Late diagnosis is an act of self-compassion, not correction.
• Autistic joy thrives in community, not conformity.
• Humour and authenticity are radical tools for survival.
• Self-advocacy begins with knowing what you need — and believing you deserve it.

🔗 Links

Wrexham Adults Autism Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1JjoEtEwcg/?mibextid=wwXIfr%0A

📣 Club Announcements

• 🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.
• 💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.
• 💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What started as one show — The Autistic Culture Podcast — has grown into something bigger: the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, the first podcast network created by and for autistic people.

Across our shows, we celebrate autistic voices, stories, and culture — because being autistic isn’t just a diagnosis, it’s a community, a worldview, and something worth celebrating.

🎙️ Current Shows:

• Autistic Culture (OG)
• Autistic Advocacy (OG Fridays)
• Neurodivergent Narratives
• Autistic Culture 101
• Late Diagnosis Club — launching Halloween 🎃

And that’s just the beginning. In January 2026, a new edition of The Autistic Culture Podcast premieres — exploring the creativity, history, and heart of autistic culture.

💫 Support Autistic-Led Media

Join Autistic Culture Plus for ad-free listening, early access, and an exclusive archive of ~100 classic episodes.

Every membership helps:

🎧 Fund neurodivergent creators

🌍 Amplify autistic voices

💡 Build culture, not pathology

🤝 Support accessible, sensory-friendly storytelling

For less than the price of a coffee, you can help sustain a growing network that’s 100% by and for neurodivergent people.

🎙️ Pitch Your Show

Have a podcast — or an idea for one — that celebrates autistic or neurodivergent life?

We’re now accepting pitches for new and established shows created by autistic and neurodivergent people.

Whether you’re an experienced podcaster or just starting out, we’ll help you bring your vision to life with technical support, mentorship, and promotion through the network.

📩 Pitch your show: info@autisticculturepodcast.com

💜 With Gratitude

A huge thank-you to our founding supporters of Autistic Culture Plus, who believed in this network before it even launched.

Our Executive Producers make this work possible — funding neurodivergent creators, amplifying autistic voices, and helping build a media ecosystem rooted in pride, creativity, and community.

These members form the foundation of the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, and you’ll see their names credited at the end of our shows and on our website.

Executive Producers:

Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

💫 Join now to be credited as a Producer on our shows — and help fund autistic-led media that celebrates our voices, stories, and culture.

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Late Diagnosis Club is a podcast by and for adults who found they were neurodivergent later-in-life. Hosted by Story Steward Dr. Angela Kingdon, this show features honest conversations with neurodivergent guests navigating the identity shock of late diagnosis or self-identification. Each episode explores neurodivergent traits through a cultural lens, debunks stereotypes, and offers solidarity for those processing family dynamics, unmasking, and reclaiming long-buried SPINs. Whether you’re self-identified or medically diagnosed, this club has been saving you a seat and helps you feel at home in your neurodivergent self.

Autistic Culture is now the Autistic Culture Podcast Network — five shows live, more on the way — all created by and for neurodivergent people.

We’re also launching Autistic Culture Plus on Supercast, where you can listen ad-free, get early access, binge full series, and unlock our exclusive archive of earlier episodes.

Founding Listener Offer:

• Join now for £0.99/month (80% off) and be listed as an Executive Producer on our site and show credits. You’ll keep that price as long as you stay subscribed!
• On 24 Oct, the price moves to £2.50, and on 31 Oct (Halloween) the standard rate begins: £5/month or £50/year.

Included with Autistic Culture Plus:

• Ad-free listening (sensory-friendly)

• Early access to every episode

• Binge-able themed series

• Exclusive archive of ~100 classic episodes

• Executive Producer credit for founding members

Key Dates:

🗓️ Now — Founding offer live (£0.99)

🗓️ 24 Oct — Trailer drops, price rises to £2.50

🗓️ 31 Oct — Virtual Halloween launch + Late Diagnosis Club premiere

🗓️ Jan 2026 — New Autistic Culture series launches (members binge early!)

Current Shows:

• Autistic Culture (OG)
• Autistic Advocacy (OG Fridays)
• Neurodivergent Narrative
• Autistic Culture 101
• Late Diagnosis Club - Interview show launching Halloween

🎉 Join Autistic Culture Plus: autisticculture.supercast.com

🎃 RSVP to the Halloween party: autisticculture.substack.com

📧 Pitch us your show: info@autisticculturepodcast.com

Thanks for supporting independent, neurodivergent-affirming media. We’re saving you a seat. 💜

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Autistic Culture is now the Autistic Culture Podcast Network — five shows live, more on the way — all created by and for neurodivergent people.

We’re also launching Autistic Culture Plus on Supercast, where you can listen ad-free, get early access, binge full series, and unlock our exclusive archive of earlier episodes.

Founding Listener Offer:

• Join now for £0.99/month (80% off) and be listed as an Executive Producer on our site and show credits. You’ll keep that price as long as you stay subscribed!
• On 24 Oct, the price moves to £2.50, and on 31 Oct (Halloween) the standard rate begins: £5/month or £50/year.

Included with Autistic Culture Plus:

• Ad-free listening (sensory-friendly)

• Early access to every episode

• Binge-able themed series

• Exclusive archive of ~100 classic episodes

• Executive Producer credit for founding members

Key Dates:

🗓️ Now — Founding offer live (£0.99)

🗓️ 24 Oct — Trailer drops, price rises to £2.50

🗓️ 31 Oct — Virtual Halloween launch + Late Diagnosis Club premiere

🗓️ Jan 2026 — New Autistic Culture series launches (members binge early!)

Current Shows:

• Autistic Culture (OG)
• Autistic Advocacy (OG Fridays)
• Neurodivergent Narrative
• Autistic Culture 101
• Late Diagnosis Club - Interview show launching Halloween

🎉 Join Autistic Culture Plus: autisticculture.supercast.com

🎃 RSVP to the Halloween party: autisticculture.substack.com

📧 Pitch us your show: info@autisticculturepodcast.com

Thanks for supporting independent, neurodivergent-affirming media. We’re saving you a seat. 💜

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Together, we unpack how autistic traits like emotional honesty, deep focus, and commitment to logic can draw us into high-demand religious systems—and what it takes to get out.

🎧 What You’ll Learn

• Why autistic people are often drawn into cults—and why we might stay longer than others
• How the very traits that make us vulnerable are also reflected in many cult leaders
• What happens when your SPIN (Special Interest) used to be Jesus, prophecy, or Revelation
• How to mourn or reframe a spiritual system that once gave your life meaning
• Why autistic people may face unique challenges—and strengths—on the journey out
• How leaving isn’t failure. It’s freedom. And it’s a return to self-trust.

🔊 Featuring guest Jude Mills, interfaith minister, spiritual counsellor, and host of Fkd Up By Faith—a podcast exploring healing for those hurt by religion.

🎙️ Listen to Jude's podcast and learn more: fkbupbyfaith.com

Resources:

Richard Turner – UK-based autistic cult recovery counsellor

Ashlen Hilliard – US-based cult recovery advocate

Alexandra Stein and Janja Lalich – researchers and educators on cult dynamics

Related Episodes:

Fighting Internalized Ableism

Academia and Ableism

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While one show offers a neurotypical caricature of autistic traits, the other—perhaps unintentionally—captures autistic logic, humor, and integrity with uncanny resonance.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Why The Big Bang Theory fails to reflect lived autistic experience
• How It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia nails autistic communication, scripting, and literalism
• Why rule-breaking humor and social absurdity resonate with autistic brains
• How found family and social misfits mirror real-life neurodivergent community-building
• Why autistic integrity and emotional honesty are key to feeling seen in media
• The difference between being written about vs. being written from inside autistic culture

Related Episodes:

Community is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Together, they unpack how the band’s origin story, lyrics, and aesthetic reflect core autistic cultural traits like justice sensitivity, emotional intensity, and creative hyperfocus — and why MCR remains a safe haven for neurodivergent fans decades later.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• How MCR’s themes of social rejection, masking, hyper-empathy, and sensory overload resonate deeply with autistic experiences
• The band’s origin story — born from Gerard Way’s intense emotional processing of 9/11 — as an example of autistic trauma response and urgency
• How recording their debut album in a week showcases autistic hyperfocus and creative intensity
• The narrative arcs in MCR’s albums, exploring identity, grief, burnout, and transformation
• Why “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” became an anthem for misunderstood neurodivergent teens
• How bottom-up processing and the “autistic accent” influence MCR’s lyrical style, delivery, and authenticity
• The neurodivergent-coded subculture that grew around MCR as a form of autistic community-building

🎤 Featured Guest: Simon Scott

Simon Scott is the producer of The Autistic Culture Podcast and co-host of The Neurodivergent Experience Podcast, a passionate advocate for autistic creative expression. His lifelong SPIN (special interest) in Music and My Chemical Romance has informed his work in storytelling, podcasting, and autistic community-building.

Resources:

My Chemical Romance on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Chemical_Romance

Black Parade in Musical Order - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3C9lpecSL1wW8s2X8hRFue?si=467d34e55173494f

Neurodivergent Experience - https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ia5o6nDiR5mgGIXJNtyZ7?si=eecb525303994957

Related Episodes:

Chess is Autistic

Freddie Mercury is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From masking anthems to special-interest deep dives, TMBG has built a decades-long career on lyrical loops, info-dumping, and unapologetic weirdness—making them a perfect example of Pillar 2: Rhythmic Communicating and Pillar 10: Passionate Superfanning.

🎧 What You’ll Learn

• How They Might Be Giants began in 1982 with their cult-classic Dial-A-Song hotline and a fiercely independent, fan-supported model
• Why an estimated 90% of their fan base identifies as unapologetically autistic
• John Linnell’s open identification as autistic and the band’s neurodivergent creative process
• Autistic themes in TMBG lyrics:
• “Upside Down Frown” → masking and emotional labour
• “Dr. Worm” → special interest anthem
• Rejection sensitivity, burnout, and pattern recognition woven into storytelling
• How songs like Istanbul (Not Constantinople) showcase autistic hyperfocus, educational infodumps, and joyful pattern play
• Why their fan club structure fosters authentic autistic community and belonging
• The sensory and lyrical precision that makes TMBG an autistic cultural touchstone
• 
  

Resources

• Angela’s “TMBG is Autistic” Companion Playlist
• Musical References of TMBG
• Stuff is the Way
• Favourite TMBG Lyrics – 🔗 Read the discussion on Reddit
• Best They Might Be Giants Songs – 🔗 Check out the list on BuzzFeed
• Bonus Artist: Moon Hooch – Looking for more neurodivergent-friendly music? Check out Moon Hooch🔗 Visit moonhooch.com

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Autistic-coded heroes – How characters like Hamlet, Coriolanus, Othello, and King Lear embody autistic themes such as moral intensity, social disconnect, and emotional overload.
• Disability lens on the Bard – Dr. Loftis shares her journey into studying Shakespeare through a disability perspective, and the rise of autism-friendly and relaxed performances at venues like The Globe.
• Bottom-up processing & inertia – Why lines like “To be or not to be” can feel like expressions of autistic inertia, and how Shakespeare’s language structure invites bottom-up processing that resonates with neurodivergent minds.
• Otherness & ableism – How portrayals of “the outsider” in Shakespeare’s works reflect societal treatment of autistic people, and where ableist framing still appears.
• Shakespeare as therapy – From prison programs to elder care, and even modern neurodivergent Shakespeare meetups, his works offer catharsis and connection.
• Was Shakespeare neurodivergent? – Considering his prolific, atypical perspective on language and emotion as possible indicators of neurodivergence.

Featured Guest: Dr. Sonya Freeman Loftis

Dr. Sonya Freeman Loftis is a Shakespeare scholar, disability studies researcher, and author whose work explores how literature intersects with neurodivergence and lived experience.

🔗 Explore Dr. Loftis’s Academic Profile on Academia.edu

📖 William Shakespeare Was on the Autism Spectrum (Asperger’s Syndrome) – Read on ResearchGate

Related Episodes:

Questlove is Autistic

Eminem is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn

1️⃣ Expat Life as a Neurodivergent Adventure

• Why Angela calls being an expat “autism with extra passport stamps.”
• Navigating national identity, cultural differences, and reinvention.
• The joys and challenges of moving between the US and UK.

2️⃣ Comedy, Creativity & Burnout

• Abigoliah’s rise from Ohio to NYC to the UK comedy scene.
• The overlap between neurodivergence and stand-up comedy.
• How burnout affects creative output and content creation.

3️⃣ Cross-Cultural Neurodivergence

• Differences in how autism and ADHD are perceived in the US vs. the UK.
• Healthcare, safety, and societal norms across the pond.
• How cultural context changes the way neurodivergence is experienced.

4️⃣ Post-Diagnosis Clarity & Self-Grace

• The relief and self-compassion that comes with an ADHD diagnosis.
• Strategies for navigating burnout without guilt.
• Why slowing down can be the key to long-term sustainability.

About Abigoliah Schamaun

Abigoliah Schamaun is a New York comedian, actor, and writer whose charisma and sharp comedic skill have taken her from Ohio to NYC to the UK stage. A finalist in the Funny Women Awards, she’s one of the top female headliners on the UK comedy scene. On TikTok, her stand-up and comedy cooking clips have amassed over 10 million views.

She co-hosts the Neurodivergent Moments Podcast with Joe Wells and is open about her life with ADHD, sharing honest and hilarious perspectives on neurodivergence.

Resources:

🎧 Listen to Neurodivergent Moments Podcast shows.acast.com/neurodivergent-moments

💖 Support their Show on Patreon patreon.com/neurodivergentmomentspod

📱 Follow Abigoliah Everywhere @abigoliah on all social media platforms

Related Episodes:

Comedy is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn

• Why board games resonate with autistic players – The draw of clear rules, predictable structure, and logical systems.
• Social connection through play – How board games reduce pressure, foster comfort, and create a shared focus.
• Autism-affirming skill building – Turn-taking, collaboration, communication, and fairness through structured interaction.
• SPINs & monotropic focus – How games align with special interests to boost emotional regulation.
• Sensory joy – Why the tactile, “stim-tastic” aspects of board games can be soothing and engaging.
• Healthy focus vs. catastrophizing – How pattern recognition in games offers a positive outlet for autistic brains.

Resources:

• Autism and Board Games – 🔗 Game in Lab Presentation
• Board Gaming on the Spectrum – 🔗 Liam Cross Talk
• Psychology Today – 🔗 How Games Can Help Autistic Children
• PubMed – 🔗 Board Games and Autism Study

Related Shows:

Chess is Autistic

Careers are Autistic

Pokemon is Autistic

Parks and Rec is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• How knitting offers a socially acceptable way to stim while connecting with like-minded enthusiasts.
• The wonderfully literal magic of turning yarn and two sticks into something tangible.
• Why autistic bottom-up processing enhances the joy of noticing yarn textures and quality.
• The sensory benefits of knitting and how it can regulate and soothe the mind.
• How yarn can hold emotional meaning and become part of your personal story.
• Choosing the perfect yarn to suit your sensory needs.
• The intersection of knitting, community, and social justice.
• How to create autism-friendly systems for organizing projects and completing patterns.

Featured Guest: Hunter Hammersen

Hunter is a self-described weirdo who left grad school (ABD in the history of science and medicine) to create her own knitting patterns. In the past fifteen years, she has published a dozen books, written hundreds of patterns, and built a thriving community of knitters. Now, she shares her creativity, sensory joy, and curiosity on Patreon—often from the comfort of her pajamas.

📚 Resources & Links Mentioned

• 🌐 Hunter’s Website
• 📷 Hunter on Instagram
• 💌 Hunter on Patreon

Show Notes:

Website: https://tinynonsense.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/HunterHammersen

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tinynonsense

Related Shows:

Questlove is Autistic

Roller Derby is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🩸 What You’ll Sink Your Teeth Into in This Episode

• The parallels between autistic individuals and vampires begin with health comorbidities like POTS and haemophilia, before diving into the more supernatural realms.
• The art of shapeshifting mirrors autistic masking—and while vampires boast immortality, autistics share their own secret: we often appear to defy aging, as if time plays by a different rulebook for us.
• From The Addams Family and What We Do in the Shadows to even Sesame Street, Matt and Angela explore why these spooky icons resonate as autistic-coded characters.
• They unpack traits like monotropic focus, infodumping, and misunderstood behaviours often mistaken for manipulation—showing a deeper neurodivergent connection to our favourite eerie figures.
• And yes—they reveal the truly autistic reason why garlic keeps vampires at bay… but you’ll have to listen to get the scoop! 🧄

Resources:

• A Deep dive into Vampires we used for research: Encyclopedia Britannica’s entry about vampires
• Page referenced in the episode: https://www.instagram.com/date_dave_philly

Related Episodes:

Ponies are Autistic

Beauty & the Beast is Autistic

Kink is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• How Freddie’s hypermobility and possible EDS contributed to his extraordinary vocal range.
• Mercury’s many special interests: from stamp collecting and cats to Japanese art.
• The vital role of echolalia, echopraxia, and advanced pattern-matching in shaping Queen’s signature sound.
• Mercury’s sexuality and gender expression, showing the spectrum of identity.
• Quotes and lyrics that mirror the autistic experience of masking and being misunderstood.
• His struggles with executive functioning differences and the creative hacks he used to navigate sensory sensitivity.

Resources:

Freddie Mercury & Ehlers Danlos Syndrome

Multiple supernumerary teeth (MSNT) and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS): a case report

The strangest, craziest, and most disgusting animated film is back with its own series.

Peter Freestone Talks... About Freddie & His Cats

The Development Of The ‘Epic’ Queen Sound

How Queen's I Want to Break Free Video Explores Queerness in Relation to Queer Theory

Freddie and the Rocky Horror Picture Show

Freddie Mercury "I'm Not The Leader Of The Band"

Related Episodes:

Cats are Autistic

Meat Body Maintenance

Autistic Medical Needs

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• The unconventional way Ashley was invited to join the writing team—and why autistic writers are essential for shaping autistic characters.
• Ashley’s journey to discovering her autistic identity.
• Autistic linguistics, language play, and exploring the “shape” of words.
• On-set accommodations that supported Ashley and the whole cast and crew.
• How Ashley authentically portrayed autistic overwhelm without becoming dysregulated herself.
• Why casting autistic actors in autistic roles isn’t just good representation—it’s good business.
• A behind-the-scenes look at how the creative team decided on Nina’s sexual history.
• Food as stimming: samefoods, sensory-seeking flavors, crunchy vs. soft vs. wet vs. dry textures.
• Ashley’s complex (and hilarious) relationship with The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Featured Guest:

Ashley Storrie is a comedian, writer, and actress whose star has been rapidly rising. She can be heard live every Friday night hosting her own BBC Radio Scotland show and co-hosting the Midsomer Murders Podcast. Known for her viral Harry Potter parody #tanyapotter (with over 22 million views), Ashley has gone on to create digital hits for BBC Scotland including If The Handmaid’s Tale Was Scottish and If Game of Thrones Was Scottish.

Resources:

Follow Ashley Storrie on Instagram

Check out the official trailer

Watch Dinosaur on Hulu

Related Episodes:

Star Trek is Autistic

Wednesday is Autistic?

Comedy is Autistic

Community is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Taylor’s encyclopaedic knowledge about cats 🐱
• Using music as a tool for purpose, community, and career success
• Creating and solving puzzles, riddles, and “Easter eggs” in her work
• How Swift’s lyrics and interviews mirror autistic experiences of feeling like an outsider and masking to fit in
• The intersection of capitalism, privilege, and disability in her career
• Justice sensitivity and expectation sensitivity—two common autistic traits
• Tracing autistic patterns through her family tree (including Emily Dickinson!)
• How “Shake It Off” resonates as a cultural anthem for autistic folks

💌 Shout-Outs:

This episode was made possible thanks to contributions from two amazing Swifty listeners:

• Brittany Sellers
• Autumn Elliot

Resources:

• Ancestry reveals Taylor Swift is related to American poet Emily Dickinson
• Could Taylor Swift have Asperger's syndrome?
• A Comprehensive Breakdown of Taylor Swift's Easter Eggs
• Taylor Swift listing cat breeds on Fallon
• Interviews of Taylor Swift describing masking

Related Episodes:

Dino Nuggets are Autistic

Cats are Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Why Wikipedia is perfectly aligned with autistic traits like pattern-matching, info-dumping, and justice sensitivity.
• How autistic editors contribute to making content more inclusive, accurate, and diverse.
• The autistic approach to “neutrality”: focusing on what is right rather than who is right.
• Reports of harassment and bullying of autistic employees behind the scenes at Wikimedia.
• The story of “Jane,” a former autistic Wikimedia employee whose diagnosis disclosure led to burnout after facing discrimination.
• The dangers of “A-Spectrumers” and functioning labels inside the organization.
• Why donating to local Wikipedia chapter groups (often run by autistics) may be more effective than giving to Wikimedia’s central fundraisers.
• A call to autistic editors: if you have the privilege and capacity, your high edit counts could help shift Wikipedia’s culture for the better—while remembering to protect your mental health.

Resources:

• Wikipedia’s definition of ableism
• How to become a Wikipedia editor
• Wikipedia:WikiProject Autism
• Autism Spectrum Wrongly Described In Wikipedia
• Wikipedia likes us!
• Wikipedia:High-functioning autism and Asperger's editors
• Wikipedians with autism

Related Episodes:

Industrial Light & Magic is Autistic

Productivity is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Chidi Anagonye as one of TV’s most autistic-coded characters—his special interests, concrete thinking, anxiety, and devotion to personal morality.
• Eleanor Shellstrop as potentially autistic, with her direct communication style, perspective-taking challenges, and trauma-filled backstory (common among late-diagnosed autistic women).
• Jason Mendoza through an ADHD/autistic lens—his monotropic focus and passionate interests.
• Janet’s journey as an AI echoing autistic unmasking: developing preferences, boundaries, and autonomy beyond “the programming.”
• Tahani Al-Jamil’s story as an allegory for masking exhaustion—with real-life parallels to actor Jameela Jamil’s co-occurring conditions.
• Michael the architect’s autistic tendencies—fascination with humans, concrete examples, and system-level thinking.
• Why the show’s obsession with philosophy feels so deeply autistic.
• Around 53:24, Angela spontaneously demonstrates elements of autistic culture in real time (listen for it!).

Resources:

• How to Be Perfect by Michael Schur
• How to be perfect with "The Good Place" creator Michael Schur
• Chidi Anagonye, the Autistic Nerd Character Done Right
• How The Good Place taught moral philosophy to its characters — and its creators
• 5 Moral Philosophy Concepts Featured on The Good Place
• Character analysis It’s literally all of them

Related Episodes: 

Sesame Street is Autistic

The Trouble with Temple Grandin.

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Parallels in Gadsby’s and Brady’s lives, including struggles with misdiagnosis, gender-based violence, homophobia, and ableism.
• How both found comedy as a survival mechanism and a path to success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
• The comedians’ raw honesty about employment struggles, homelessness, and disordered eating—often hidden parts of the autistic experience.
• Comedy as both a masking strategy and a tool for truth-telling.
• Differences between autistic meltdowns vs. shutdowns, explained through their lived stories.
• Why their memoirs are must-reads for anyone seeking neurodiversity-affirming representation.
• How Gadsby and Brady reclaim their narratives through radical self-acceptance and creative expression.

Hannah Notes:

Book: 10 Steps to Nanette

Article: Hannah Gadsby's song of the self

Article: Hannah Gadsby Gets the Last Laugh in 10 Steps to Nanette

Fern Notes:

Book: Strong Female Character

Wikipedia: Fern Brady

Related Episodes:

Poetry is Autistic (Emily Dickinson episode)

Greta is Autistic (Greta Thunberg episode)

Bad Autism Diagnosis

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn

• Comparing feline quirks—like sensory preferences, strong routines, and communication styles—with autistic traits.
• Why cats’ particular needs for predictability and clear communication mirror autistic desires for understandable, safe environments.
• An exploration of famous autistic-coded cat characters in media: Garfield, Hello Kitty, the Cat in the Hat, and Hobbes from Calvin and Hobbes.
• Using examples of cat behavior to critique ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy, arguing for acceptance and accommodation rather than forced conformity.
• Celebrating cats as powerful symbols of neurodiversity—embracing feline tendencies as an emblem of the autistic experience.

Resources:

• Kathy Hoopmann’s website
• Video: How I Taught My Cat to Talk | Beginner Tutorial
• Video: Cat Kicks Boyfriend out of the House
• Video: Where Dad? Billi Speaks

Related Episodes:

Peanuts is Autistic

Animation is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• How McEnroe’s pattern recognition and visualization skills helped him anticipate the ball’s movements and turn tennis into a “math equation.”
• Why his emotional on-court reactions—often labelled as “brat-like”—were actually natural expressions of expectation sensitivity and scripting.
• Insight from McEnroe’s wife, Patty, who has said she believes he is autistic based on his routines, sensory needs, math skills, and strong SPINs (special interests) in art and guitar.
• Why his meltdowns should be seen not as flaws, but as valid autistic responses to an unfair and conformity-driven system.
• How McEnroe has embraced his autistic traits in later life, channelling them into charitable work, art, and voiceover projects.
• A call to celebrate McEnroe’s story as a reminder of the cultural pride and community connection autistic individuals can find in their shared strengths.

Resources:

• McEnroe’s memoir: But Seriously
• eBook: You Cannot Be Serious : McEnroe, John, Kaplan, James
• Autistic people have big emotions—YouTube video: The Meltdown of all Meltdowns
• Article: John McEnroe: Star not he possibility of being Autistic, ‘I’m somewhere around there’
• NPR episode: John McEnroe grapples with his legacy as tennis' bad boy
• McEnroe’s voice work website
• Article: A Point in Time: McEnroe and the puff of chalk

Related Episodes:

Chess is Autistic

Animation is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Why autistic brains resist synaptic pruning, making unconscious habits nearly impossible.
• The flaw of habit stacking and why many autistic people must consciously think through even “automatic” tasks.
• A critique of neurotypical society’s productivity obsession, from Puritan work ethic to toxic hustle culture.
• How internalizing ableism around “not doing enough” impacts autistic mental health and self-worth.
• Why autistic monotropism and Flow states are healthier, more sustainable alternatives to rigid schedules.
• Tips for neuro-affirming productivity: naps, breaks, visual aids, reminders, avoiding energy deficit, and requesting accommodations.
• A call to honor autistic rhythms of rest and hyperfocus, instead of forcing neurotypical systems that lead to burnout.

Resources:

This American Life on Smoking

If Books Could Kill: Atomic Habits

Why Doesn’t Standard Talking Therapy Work for Autistic People?

Recruiting Giants - Alex St. John

Related episodes:

Labels & Autism

Industrial Light & Magic

Apple is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Why Alfred Kinsey’s autistic traits—like bottom-up processing, obsessive data gathering, monotropic focus, and a drive to uncover hidden truths—fueled his pioneering research.
• Kinsey’s famous 18,000 interviews that became the foundation of modern sexology, and the revolutionary Kinsey Scale showing sexuality as a spectrum.
• How Kinsey’s work directly challenged conservative Victorian attitudes about sex, sparking backlash that contributed to his declining health—a reflection of how autistic advocates are often punished for disrupting the status quo.
• Connections between Kinsey’s findings and today’s research, showing that autistic people are more likely to reject binary notions of gender and sexuality.
• His commitment to justice and advocacy, including volunteering in prisons, as an expression of autistic values of fairness and honesty.
• Reflections on Kinsey’s early death, which Angela and Matt frame as symbolic of autistic burnout and heartbreak—an urgent reminder of why autistic life expectancy remains so low.
• A celebration of autistic strengths like intense focus, honesty, and data-driven thinking, and a critique of how flawed diagnostic criteria and allistic systems erase or stigmatize autistic and LGBTQ+ identities.

Resources:

• Alfred Kinsey: Asperger disorder
• Matt’s Reframing of DSM Autism Criteria
• Christiane Rudolph’s research on Autistics and sexual orientation in Stockholm

Related episodes:

Apple is Autistic

The Trouble with Temple

Greta is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• The Autistic traits visible in Warhol’s life—monotropic focus, echolalia in interviews, sensory differences with food, dyslexia, and obsessive collecting.
• How Warhol embraced repetition and visual thinking in his iconic works (Campbell’s soup cans, celebrity portraits) in ways that resonate deeply with autistic patterns of creativity and comfort.
• The role of costume parties as safe, structured spaces for Warhol and his guests to connect authentically while bypassing small talk.
• Warhol’s careful balance of masking and authenticity, including his downplayed public queerness and art-world outsider identity.
• How his “safe foods”—the limited, comforting diet he stuck to after being shot—paralleled the way autistic people rely on safe foods for regulation.
• The joy and validation of collecting trinkets and objects, which Warhol leaned into as a creative and personal practice.
• Why society labeled him “eccentric” instead of recognizing his communication and creative methods as Autistic strengths.
• The enduring power of his art to reflect neurodivergent ways of seeing the world—down to the detail of wearing the same brand of underwear every single day.

Resources:

Was autism the secret of Warhol's art?

'Andy Warhol' (NY Times)

Will We Ever Really Know Who Andy Warhol Was? A New Docuseries Digs Into His Private Life

Andy Warhol Eating a Hamburger

Andy Warhol & Edie Sedgwick INTERVIEW 1965

Related episodes:

Questlove is Autistic

Poetry is Autistic

Eminem is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Why chess belongs alongside trains and Star Trek as quintessential parts of Autistic culture.
• The way chess rewards deep focus, pattern recognition, and monotropic thinking—all classic Autistic strengths.
• Bobby Fischer’s story: a chess prodigy whose intense focus, logical worldview, and social differences mirror many Autistic traits.
• The Queen’s Gambit’s Beth Harmon: a fictional but autistic-coded character whose love for chess feels powerfully familiar to Autistic audiences.
• How chess creates opportunities for authentic socialization without the burden of small talk—connection through shared strategy instead.
• Why Autistic excellence in chess highlights cultural virtues of fairness, morality, and respect for an opponent’s skills.
• Angela’s reflections on proving value through accomplishment and Matt’s celebration of the info-dump joy that comes from finding Autistic community.

Resources:

• The Queen’s Gambit and the Beautifully Messy Future of Autism on TV
• Ten reasons your autistic child needs to learn chess
• Asperger’s and Intimacy Through Chess | Organization for Autism Research
• Did Bobby Fischer have Aspergers Syndrome? - Chess Forums - Chess.com
• Devon Price’s book

Related Episodes:

Pokemon is Autistic

Dungeons & Dragons is Autistic

Parks and Rec is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Questlove’s childhood special interests in Soul Train and Black music history, plus his soothing *stim of watching records spin.
• His encyclopaedic music knowledge and extraordinary ability to instantly identify the beats per minute of songs.
• The story of his massive record collection and historic Black music memorabilia, which will one day live at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
• Questlove’s identity as a “walking Blacksonian” historian, preserving and honoring Black music’s rightful place in history.
• How his Autistic traits—attention to detail, pattern recognition, monotropism, and passionate data-collecting—interconnect to fuel his creativity and advocacy.
• Why Questlove’s story shows what happens when autism is embraced, not pathologized—a celebration of Autistic life in rhythm, culture, and justice.

Resources:

• Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove
• Questlove's Roots: A 'Meta' Memoir Of A Lifetime In Music
• The Passion of Questlove
• Wikipedia: Questlove
• Questlove Reflects on A Tribe Called Quest’s Iconic ‘People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm,’ 25 Years Later

Related Episodes:

Eminem is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

📚 What’s Inside This Episode:

• How food shapes culture across the world—and how Autistic food culture fits in.
• The difference between “safe foods” (comforting, reliable, calming foods) and “same foods” (the exact same foods eaten daily with joy).
• Matt’s Easter family tradition: the legendary Throckmorton McNugget Platter, complete with sauces.
• Why same-fooding is not “picky eating” but a valid cultural practice rooted in predictability, sensory regulation, and ritual.
• How sensory aversions and sensory-seeking palates shape Autistic food choices—ranging from bland comfort foods to spicy, adventurous flavors.
• Why forcing Autistics to eat foods they dislike is harmful, and how embracing Autistic food culture supports both physical and mental health.
• The joys of efficiency, comfort, and community that come with Autistic approaches to food.

Resources:

• Super Taster Tests
• Safefood: The Medicinal Properties of Chicken Nuggets
• What Do Autistic People Cook?
• Autistic Empath
• Why do autistic people tend to samefood? Is it different than picky eating?

Related Episodes:

Dimensions of Autistic Culture

Warhol is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• How Eminem’s lyrics, including a direct reference to “Asperger’s syndrome,” suggest lived experiences familiar to Autistic people.
• The Autistic traits visible in his life and work—sensory overload, emotional intensity, OCD tendencies, addiction struggles (rooted in ableism), and a monotropic focus on rhyming.
• How his childhood special interests in comic books, dinosaurs, poetry, and rap helped him cope with bullying, school changes, and isolation.
• Why special interests aren’t just “annoying habits” but life-saving passions that provide identity and purpose.
• How Eminem’s focus and creativity allowed him to transform pain into art and become one of the world’s best-selling music artists.
• Personal reflections from Matt and Angela on the role of special interests, survival, and expression within Autistic culture.

Resources:

The Meme that Started it All

Legacy Lyrics

Wicked Ways Lyrics

Heat Lyrics

Related episodes:

Questlove is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• How Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri’s childhood special interest in collecting bugs—rooted in his own autism diagnosis—inspired one of the world’s most successful franchises.
• Why the urge to collect, categorize, and analyse Pokémon appeals strongly to Autistic skills and motivations.
• The concept of “Flow” and how Pokémon’s immersive gameplay provides Autistics with joy, focus, and persistence through special interests.
• A critique of how allistic perspectives dismiss Autistic passions as “obsessions,” contrasted with the Autistic experience of joy, fun, and fulfilment.
• How Pokémon fosters authentic Autistic socializing and builds community through shared interests.
• Why Pokémon exemplifies Autistic culture as a celebration of curiosity, focus, and intrinsic motivation.

Resources:

• See Mew
• Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

Related Episodes:

Ponies are Autistic

Dungeons & Dragons is Autistic

Animation is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Why Sherlock’s outsider status and “alien vibe” resonate with Autistic experiences of being misunderstood.
• The Autistic good vibes of alone time, stimming (yes, pipes count!), deep research, and turning special interests into meaningful careers.
• How bottom-up processing and monotropic focus help Autistics spot details and uncover truths others miss.
• Why social batteries drain quickly for Autistics—and how ignoring this need for rest causes distress and breakdowns.
• How moral “inflexibility” and generosity, often seen as naivety, are actually positive Autistic strengths.
• A study showing Autistics refused to cheat for money, even when allistics did, and what that says about integrity.
• How Dr. Watson’s appreciation of Sherlock’s loyalty and “great heart” mirrors the double empathy problem and ways Autistics and allistics can bridge it.

Resources:

The Complete Sherlock Holmes

Related Episodes:

Andy Warhol is Autistic

Tim Burton is Autistic

Washington, D.C. is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• How Andersen’s special interests, social struggles, and speech differences align with Autistic traits.
• Why stories like The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, and The Princess and the Pea resonate so strongly with Autistic experiences of difference, masking, and sensory sensitivity.
• How sensory seeking and avoiding show up in both Andersen’s life and his fairytales.
• Why direct communication, existential loneliness, and intense friendships (like his troubled bond with Charles Dickens) are part of the Autistic lens.
• Matt’s critique of exposure therapy and why Autistics don’t “habituate” the way allistics do—making sensitivity a trait, not a flaw.
• Angela’s personal reflection on The Princess and the Pea as a story that validated her own sensitivity and reframed it as special.
• How Andersen’s work, viewed through Autistic culture, provides representation, validation, and connection across generations.

Resources:

• Complete Works of Hans Christian Andersen
• Hans Christian Andersen Centre
• A Weird visit to Dickens House: Charles Dickens really, really hated his fanboy Hans Christian Andersen.
• BLEAK HOUSE GUEST (movie)
• Dickens Mistress Nelly:
• Charles Dickens AWESOME Wife Catherine
• The Genesis of Artistic Creativity: Asperger's Syndrome and the Arts
• Writers on the Spectrum

Related Episodes:

Beauty and the Beast is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• How Jobs’ attention to design details—every bevel, chamfer, and colour shade—reflects Autistic hyperfocus and precision.
• Why his personal uniform of black turtlenecks and jeans embodies Autistic values of simplicity, comfort, and consistency.
• How his dislike of buttons and love of clean design align with Autistic sensory preferences.
• Why Jobs’ direct communication style was often misunderstood as narcissism, when it was actually clarity and problem-solving.
• How his practice of Zen Buddhism intersected with special interests in technology to spark ground-breaking creativity.
• The role of Autistic innovation in Apple’s most iconic contributions, from the buttonless mouse to the iPad.
• Why Apple’s “Think Different” campaign perfectly captures the Autistic spirit of misfits and world-changers.

Resources:

• Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
• The Iconic Think Different Apple ad
• Was Steve Jobs Autistic?
• Steve Jobs’ Commitment to Great Design

Related Episodes:

Andy Warhol is Autistic

Tim Burton is Autistic

Washington, D.C. is Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• How Dickinson’s obsessive love of reading and writing reflects classic Autistic special interests.
• Why her refusal to conform to gender norms and social expectations marks her as a cultural rebel.
• The significance of publishing only 10 poems in her lifetime while leaving behind a vast body of work that transformed literature.
• How her credo, “Tell all the Truth but tell it slant,” resonates with Autistic communication styles and honesty.
• Dickinson’s legacy of authenticity, healthy boundaries, and creative rule-breaking as a model for Autistic pride.
• Why her poetry continues to speak to Autistic readers navigating difference, resilience, and expression.

Resources:

• Her Own Society: A new reading of Emily Dickinson
• Patrick Jasper Lee on Literary Autism
• Emily’s White Dresses

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Each episode dives deep into the contributions Autistics have made to society and culture—spotlighting some of the world’s most famous and influential Autistics throughout history.

Whether you are Autistic yourself or love someone who is, your hosts, Dr. Angela Kingdon (the Linguistic Autistic) and Licensed Psychological Practitioner Matt Lowry, invite you to immerse yourself in the language, values, traditions, norms, and identity of Autistica.

This is more than a podcast. It’s a celebration of Autistic pride, community, and culture!

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

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