Welcome to This Week in Autistic Culture

Welcome to another edition of This Week in Autistic Culture, our Sunday magazine that brings together the stories, conversations, and ideas shaping Autistic culture each week.

As Angela is away this week, James Hepworth, host of Collecting Fish and Hyperfocus FC, joins Simon as a guest co-host.

We begin with a look back at Collecting Fish, reflecting on the first season and sharing an update on how James’ marine tank is developing.

James’ New Marine Tank

Then we turn to the FIFA World Cup Final, where Spain lifted the trophy while Argentina’s tournament ended in controversy, before looking back at the competition as a whole and what made this year’s tournament so memorable.

As always, we’ll also take you through everything coming up this week across the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, with new episodes exploring Hamilton, masking and burnout, therapy, genetics, humour, ARFID, basketball, and much more. Whether you’re here to discover a new favourite podcast, catch up with the community, or simply to spend your Sunday immersed in Autistic culture, we’re delighted you’ve joined us.

Let’s dive in.

🎧 Start Here: Autistic Culture Radio

Looking for a different way to experience ACPN? Autistic Culture Radio is our curated Spotify listening experience, blending music with every programme released across the Autistic Culture Podcast Network.

Updated daily, each episode is paired with carefully chosen songs inspired by its themes, creating a continuous soundtrack to Autistic culture. Save the playlist to your Spotify library and dip in whenever you want to discover new conversations, music and voices from across the network.

📻 On Air This Week:

Monday 27th July

Theatrically Authentic – Episode 6: Built like A System - Hamilton

Sarah Atherton-Knight and Simon Scott dive deep into Hamilton — the cultural phenomenon that transformed modern musical theatre and became a hyperfixation for an entire generation of neurodivergent fans.

From lyrical density and internal rhyme to reprises, motifs, and layered historical storytelling, they explore why Hamilton feels less like a musical… and more like a system built to be decoded.

Mindful Mondays with Ashley Dupuy

Ashley returns with another mindful reflection and guided meditation to help neurodivergent listeners begin the week with intention and regulation.

Tuesday 28th July

Drinking to Mask and Unmask - Episode 4: When the Mask Stops Masking

What happens when the strategies that once helped you survive stop working?

Ebony Nash joins Chelsey Flood on Drinking to Mask and Unmask for a conversation about alcohol, neurodivergence, burnout, and identity.

Together they explore the limits of coping strategies, the impact of masking over time, and what it means to build a life that no longer depends on survival mechanisms.

Regulation Station – Episode 6: Navigating Life as an AuDHD Therapist

In this week's episode of Regulation Station, Becca Engle is joined by psychotherapist and Clinically Awkward host Alyssa Zimmerman for a conversation about therapy, neurodivergence, relationships, and what it means to build a life that works with your brain rather than against it.

Wednesday 29th July

Clinical Misfits - Episode 4: Collagen Changes Everything

In the final episode of Clinical Misfits, Dr Mary discusses some genetic conditions that account for a lot of the physical, mental, psychological and behavioural characteristics present in varying degrees in the majority of neurodivergent people. These are largely due to defects in collagen!

Two Mics No Masking - Episode 3: Humour as Kryptonite to Hierarchy

Katie Scott and Jenna Goldstein explore the power of humour as more than entertainment. For many neurodivergent people, laughter can challenge assumptions, expose contradictions, and create connection in ways that words alone often can't.

Thursday 30th July

NEW SHOW - Autism Help– Episode 1: ARFID and Autism

Heather McKay talks about ARFID in autistic people, and how the current treatments for ARFID actually make our ARFID worse, and cause us to drop safe foods.

The Neurodivergent Experience - Episode 121

Jordan James and Simon Scott return for a conversation about the Neurodivergent Experience!

Friday 31st July

Hot Topic Friday

A new discussion from The Neurodivergent Experience team, tackling a fresh topic from the world of neurodivergence.

Under The Lights - Episode 2: Top 10 NBA Playoff Series

Turrell Burgess counts down the greatest NBA Playoff series from a lifetime of watching basketball. From fierce rivalries and dramatic Game 7s to unforgettable performances and championship-defining battles, these are the series that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

📚 From the Archive - Saturday 1st August

Autistic Culture Podcast Rewind – Sherlock is Autistic

Rewind with an Autistic Culture Podcast classic, as we investigate Sherlock Holmes as an Autistic-coded cultural icon.

Please rate, share and review our shows, as it helps them grow and reach more people! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Listen Ad-Free with Autistic Culture Plus

Want bonus content, early access, and ad-free listening across the entire network?

Join Autistic Culture Plus to support autistic creators and help us commission even more shows from our community.

Join Autistic Culture +

Have a Show Idea?

The Autistic Culture Podcast Network is always looking for new voices and new perspectives.

If you have an idea for a podcast grounded in Autistic lived experience, culture, identity, advocacy, creativity, or special interests, we’d love to hear from you.

Submit Your Idea

Welcome to This Week in Autistic Culture

Welcome to another edition of This Week in Autistic Culture, our Sunday magazine that brings together the stories, conversations, and ideas shaping Autistic culture each week.

This week we’re exploring the power of shared passions and community, from Simon’s unforgettable experience seeing My Chemical Romance at Wembley to the excitement of the FIFA World Cup as it reaches its dramatic conclusion. We also share opportunities from our Community Noticeboard, celebrate projects happening across the Autistic community, and take a look at another packed week of new programmes from across the Autistic Culture Podcast Network.

From theatre and creativity to disability justice, education, sport and representation in the media, there’s something for everyone this week. Whether you’re here to discover a new favourite podcast, catch up with the community, or simply to spend your Sunday immersed in Autistic culture, we’re delighted you’ve joined us.

Let’s dive in.

🎧 Start Here: Autistic Culture Radio

Looking for a different way to experience ACPN? Autistic Culture Radio is our curated Spotify listening experience, blending music with every programme released across the Autistic Culture Podcast Network.

Updated daily, each episode is paired with carefully chosen songs inspired by its themes, creating a continuous soundtrack to Autistic culture. Save the playlist to your Spotify library and dip in whenever you want to discover new conversations, music and voices from across the network.

📻 On Air This Week:

Monday 20th July

Theatrically Authentic – Episode 5: Coded But Not Confirmed

Sarah Atherton-Knight and Simon Scott explore what happens when audiences recognise neurodivergence in a character… but the script never says it out loud in Theatrically Authentic.

From beloved fan favourites to controversial portrayals, they discuss why certain characters resonate so deeply with neurodivergent audiences — and where the line exists between meaningful representation and harmful caricature.

Mindful Mondays with Ashley Dupuy

Ashley returns with another mindful reflection and guided meditation to help neurodivergent listeners begin the week with intention and regulation.

Tuesday 21st July

Creative Becoming – Episode 4: Catalyst For Creativity

Helen and Elizabeth explore how life's unexpected disruptions can become catalysts for creativity in EP4 of Creative Becoming

Regulation Station – Episode 5: It Starts with One Child: Creating Inclusive Classrooms

In this week's episode of Regulation Station, Becca Engle is joined by autism care specialist, author, and advocate Carra Dixon to discuss inclusion, education, and the power of early understanding.

Wednesday 22nd July

The Neurocomplex Creative– Episode 3: Big Hearts, Hollywood Dreams

Vicki sits down with her longtime friend and collaborator TJ Berden — filmmaker, producer, and one of her people — for a conversation twenty years in the making on EP3 of The Neurocomplex Creative.

Two Mics No Masking - Episode 2: Behaviourism as the Ultimate Human Hubris

Katie Scott and Jenna Goldstein unpack the hidden assumptions behind behaviourism and ask what happens when society decides there’s only one “right” way to think, behave, and exist, in our new show Two Mics No Masking.

Thursday 23rd July

Autistic Rant Hour – Episode 6: Accessibility Across Disabilities

This week on Autistic Rant Hour, Dr Gal rants about Accessibility Across Disabilities - with guest Tal(y) Wozner (pronouns: she/her), filmmaker and queer and disability activist.

The Neurodivergent Experience - Episode 120

Jordan James and Simon Scott return for a conversation about the Neurodivergent Experience!

Friday 24th July

Hot Topic Friday

A new discussion from The Neurodivergent Experience team, tackling a fresh topic from the world of neurodivergence.

NEW SHOW - Under The Lights: March Madness

Under the lights with Turrell Burgess arrives, counting down the biggest sports moments from the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament, better known as March Madness.

📚 From the Archive - Saturday 25th July

Autistic Culture Podcast Rewind – Apple is Autistic

Rewind with an Autistic Culture Podcast classic, as we reframe Hans Christian Andersen—not as the “awkward, difficult” writer he’s often portrayed to be, but as a figure whose life and work reflect Autistic culture.

Please rate, share and review our shows, as it helps them grow and reach more people! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📌 Community Noticeboard

The Community Noticeboard is your space to share what’s happening across autistic culture. Whether you’re launching a book, hosting an event, releasing a podcast, starting a creative project, celebrating a milestone, or simply have something you’d like the community to know about, we’d love to hear from you.

Send your announcements, links and updates to autisticculturepodcast@gmail.com, and we’ll feature as many as we can in a future edition of This Week in Autistic Culture.

• The Neurodiverse Entrepreneur Summit® is a free 4-day event to help you stop borrowing someone else’s business plan, and start building a business that actually fits your brain.

July 27-30 - https://neurodiverseentrepreneursummit.com

Bunch of freebies for our listeners
https://acpn--conqueryourcontent.thrivecart.com/affiliate-program/

• The 1 in 31 Connection Autism Summit August 31

This two-day virtual summit hosted by Sara Bradford featured 34 presenters,
including experts, advocates, and live podcasters. It aimed to educate
attendees on inclusion and compassion within the autism community, receiving
praise for its broad expertise and inspiring discussions.”

This powerful one-day event brings together autistic voices,
parents, educators, and professionals to share experiences,
resources, and solutions that create real connection and change.
With expert-led panels, advocate stories, and practical tools, the 1
in 31 Connection is designed to bridge understanding and build
inclusive communities.

https://streamyard.com/watch/PUNGqSFA6GkH

• Podcast Movement - Vote for me

https://podcastmovement.fider.io/posts/287/stop-growing-it-alone-a-new-business-model-for-independent-podcasters

Listen Ad-Free with Autistic Culture Plus

Want bonus content, early access, and ad-free listening across the entire network?

Join Autistic Culture Plus to support autistic creators and help us commission even more shows from our community.

Join Autistic Culture +

Have a Show Idea?

The Autistic Culture Podcast Network is always looking for new voices and new perspectives.

If you have an idea for a podcast grounded in Autistic lived experience, culture, identity, advocacy, creativity, or special interests, we’d love to hear from you.

Submit Your Idea

Welcome to the fourth edition of This Week in Autistic Culture

Welcome to This Week in Autistic Culture!

This week marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Autistic Culture Podcast Network as our weekly roundup evolves into a Sunday magazine podcast and newsletter that explores the stories, conversations, and ideas shaping Autistic culture.

Alongside a packed week of new programmes, we’re introducing our new Community Noticeboard segment, creating space to celebrate the people, projects, events and achievements happening across our community. Whether you’re launching a book, hosting an event, starting a podcast or have something you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you.

You’ll also notice the continued evolution of our listening experience. What began as the Autistic Culture Mixtape is growing into something much bigger: a curated stream of Autistic-led conversations and music designed to accompany your week. It’s our vision of Autistic Culture Radio - a place where you can simply press play and immerse yourself in the sound of Autistic Culture.

This week we’re discussing the FIFA World Cup, Taylor Swift, SZA’s autism diagnosis, the latest developments in autism research, and, of course, bringing you another fantastic week of podcasts from across the network.

Thanks for spending your Sunday with us. Let’s dive in.

🎧 Start Here: Autistic Culture Radio

Looking for a different way to experience ACPN? Autistic Culture Radio is our curated Spotify listening experience, blending music with every programme released across the Autistic Culture Podcast Network.

Updated daily, each episode is paired with carefully chosen songs inspired by its themes, creating a continuous soundtrack to Autistic culture. Save the playlist to your Spotify library and dip in whenever you want to discover new conversations, music and voices from across the network.

📻 On Air This Week:

Monday 13th July

Theatrically Authentic – Episode 4: Committing to the Bit

Sarah Atherton-Knight and Simon Scott explore what it actually means to be a neurodivergent performer and committing to the bit — from auditions and rejection sensitivity to character building, hyperfocus, and the emotional intensity of stepping on stage.

Mindful Mondays with Ashley Dupuy

Ashley returns with another mindful reflection and guided meditation to help neurodivergent listeners begin the week with intention and regulation.

Tuesday 14th July

Drinking to Mask and Unmask - Episode 3: Masking Is Real

Chelsey Flood speaks with researcher Dr Laura Hull about the science of masking, the experiences that masking describes, and why having language for these behaviours matters

Regulation Station – Episode 4: Work the Way You Are

Becca Engle is joined by neurodivergent business coach and former educator Megan Bonde to explore what happens when we stop trying to fit ourselves into systems that weren’t designed for us.

Wednesday 15th July

Clinical Misfits - Episode 3: Exaggerated Immune Responses

Dr Mary explains how the autonomic nervous system and the immune system provide a protective net over the entire person.

NEW SHOW - Two Mics No Masking - Episode 1: You’re Too Much / You’re Not Enough

In the first episode of Two Mics, No Masking, Katie Scott and Jenna Goldstein explore one of the most familiar experiences for neurodivergent people: being told you’re simultaneously “too much” and “not enough.”

Thursday 16th July

Autistic Rant Hour – Episode 5: Exact Sciences: Or Are They?

Exact Sciences are things folks who consider themselves rational and logical assume can be trusted. And they would be, but scientists are only human, and some of them aren’t even autistic, gasp!

The Neurodivergent Experience - Episode 119

Jordan James and Simon Scott return for a conversation about the Neurodivergent Experience!

Friday 17th July

Hot Topic Friday

A new discussion from The Neurodivergent Experience team, tackling a fresh topic from the world of neurodivergence.

Collecting Fish– Episode 4: The Future of Fishkeeping

In the final episode of this series of Collecting Fish, James Hepworth reflects on the current state of the aquarium hobby. From online education and captive breeding to social media, consumerism, and sustainability, this episode explores both the strengths and contradictions of modern fishkeeping.

📚 From the Archive - Saturday 18th July

Autistic Culture Podcast Rewind – Apple is Autistic

Rewind with an Autistic Culture Podcast classic, as we re-run Apple is Autistic, exploring how Steve Jobs’ Autistic traits shaped Apple’s revolutionary success.

Please rate, share and review our shows, as it helps them grow and reach more people! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📌 Community Noticeboard

The Community Noticeboard is your space to share what’s happening across autistic culture. Whether you’re launching a book, hosting an event, releasing a podcast, starting a creative project, celebrating a milestone, or simply have something you’d like the community to know about, we’d love to hear from you.

Send your announcements, links and updates to autisticculturepodcast@gmail.com, and we’ll feature as many as we can in a future edition of This Week in Autistic Culture.

Cultural Autism Studies at Yale - Thursday, July 16th - 5 pm to 6 pm UK Time - Free

TOPIC: Bronwyn’s Journey: From Quiet Child to Public Speaker. A Story of Resilience.

DESCRIPTION: Bronwyn shares their journey of “rebuilding” after a lifetime of navigating a world not designed for them. They will discuss the reality of growing up as an undiagnosed autistic child, where struggles were met with interventions that lacked a name for their experience. Bronwyn will touch on: the “lost” years - growing up quiet, navigating school with a single best friend, and the intense anxiety of being misunderstood. Workplace friction: the challenge of entering the professional world, where open-plan offices and social “teamwork” led to frequent overstimulation and shutdowns. The turning point: how a formal diagnosis at age 30 finally provided the tools needed to lead an improved quality of life. A new chapter: their success in returning to university to study neurodiversity, turning their personal hardships into a master’s thesis aimed at improving workplace rights for the autistic community.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bronwyns-journey-from-quiet-child-to-public-speaker-story-of-resilience-tickets-1990005509047

Listen Ad-Free with Autistic Culture Plus

Want bonus content, early access, and ad-free listening across the entire network?

Join Autistic Culture Plus to support autistic creators and help us commission even more shows from our community.

Join Autistic Culture +

Have a Show Idea?

The Autistic Culture Podcast Network is always looking for new voices and new perspectives.

If you have an idea for a podcast grounded in Autistic lived experience, culture, identity, advocacy, creativity, or special interests, we’d love to hear from you.

Submit Your Idea

Welcome to the third edition of This Week on ACPN.

This week marks an exciting milestone for the Autistic Culture Podcast Network as we launch the very first Autistic Culture Mixtape - a new way to experience ACPN through a curated blend of music and podcast programming.

Alongside the Mixtape, we’ve got another packed week of new episodes exploring theatre, education, creativity, football, neurodivergent life, fishkeeping, healthcare and more. Whether you’re catching up on your favourite shows or discovering ACPN for the first time, this newsletter is your guide to everything happening across the network.

Let’s dive in!

🎧 Start Here: The Autistic Culture Mixtape • July 2026

The Autistic Culture Mixtape is our monthly listening guide, bringing together every programme released across the Autistic Culture Podcast Network with carefully chosen music inspired by the conversations, themes and emotions of each episode.

Updated every Sunday, the Mixtape grows throughout the month as new programmes are released across ACPN. Listen in order to experience the network as it unfolds.

If you’re enjoying the Mixtape, don’t forget to save it to your Spotify library so you’ll automatically receive each week’s new additions throughout July.

📻 This Week’s Programmes:

Monday 6th July

Theatrically Authentic – Episode 3: Theatre Kid Energy

Sarah Atherton-Knight and Simon Scott explore the intense, joyful, and sometimes complicated world of theatre fandom.

From hyperfixation and lore-sharing to stage-door etiquette and parasocial relationships, the episode examines why theatre fandom resonates so deeply with neurodivergent audiences and how musicals become systems of comfort, identity, and connection.

Subscribe to Theatrically Authentic

Mindful Mondays with Ashley Dupuy

Ashley returns with another mindful reflection and guided meditation to help neurodivergent listeners begin the week with intention and regulation.

Tuesday 7th July

Creative Becoming – Episode 3: Sticking With It

Helen and Elizabeth explore how consistency, structure, and experimentation can transform creative energy into a sustainable practice, and how to stay engaged when you’re feeling uninspired or overwhelmed.

Together they discuss productivity techniques, creative routines, narrative writing, and the ways art can help us process emotions and communicate experiences.

Subscribe to Creative becoming

Regulation Station – Episode 3: Holding Space You Don’t Inhabit: Supporting Neurodivergent Students

Becca Engle is joined by school principal Anthony Chiles for a conversation about neurodivergent students, school systems, regulation, and what children really need to thrive in educational environments.

Subscribe to Regulation Station

Wednesday 8th July

Hyperfocus FC – Episode 4: The 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup

In the final episode of their World Cup retrospective series, Simon Scott is joined by James Hepworth and Jack Hoban to look back on the two most recent FIFA World Cups: Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.

The trio revisit England’s unforgettable run to the semi-finals in Russia, Croatia’s remarkable journey to the final, France’s emergence as the dominant force of a new generation, and the arrival of stars such as Kylian Mbappé on football’s biggest stage.

Subscribe to Hyperfocus FC

The Neurocomplex Creative– Episode 2: Found Family, Big Feelings

Vicki sits down with her aunt Sabrina — PhD in Theatre, lifelong arts educator, and the person who first showed her that big feelings weren’t a problem to be managed but a gift to be expressed.

This conversation is about what that work looked like, why it mattered, and what the arts do for people who feel everything

Subscribe to The Neurocomplex creative

Thursday 9th July

Autistic Rant Hour – Episode 4: Mental Health Services

What happens when you go to a mental health professional who has zero information about what it means when you, their patient, may be autistic?

Subscribe to The Autistic Rant Hour

The Neurodivergent Experience - Episode 118

Jordan James and Simon Scott return for a conversation about the Neurodivergent Experience!

Subscribe to NDE

Friday 10th July

Hot Topic Friday

A new discussion from The Neurodivergent Experience team, tackling a fresh topic from the world of neurodivergence.

Subscribe to NDE

Collecting Fish– Episode 3: An Ocean In Your Living Room

James Hepworth explores the beauty, complexity, and controversy surrounding marine aquariums — from clownfish and coral reefs to the realities of recreating an ocean ecosystem at home.

Subscribe to Collecting Fish

📚 From the Archive - Saturday 11th July

Autistic Culture Podcast Rewind – Emily Dickinson is Autistic

Travel back to one of the earliest episodes of the Autistic Culture Podcast as Dr Angela Kingdon uncovers the Autistic traits and cultural legacy of 18th-century poet Emily Dickinson.

Subscribe to ACP Rewind

Please rate, share and review our shows, as it helps them grow and reach more people! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Exploring Semi-Speaking as a Communication Identity: A Reflective Practice Guide

Attend the Launch:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-launch-of-exploring-semi-speaking-as-a-communication-identity-3-tickets-1990166600877
Get the book:

https://www.routledge.com/Exploring-Semi-Speaking-as-a-Communication-Identity-A-Reflective-Practice-Guide/Richardson-Mears/p/book/9781032789521

https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Semi-Speaking-Communication-Identity-Reflective/dp/1032789522/

Trailer for Angela’s nephew’s horror movie - Bodies of Water

Listen Ad-Free with Autistic Culture Plus

Want bonus content, early access, and ad-free listening across the entire network?

Join Autistic Culture Plus to support autistic creators and help us commission even more shows from our community.

Join Autistic Culture +

Thank you for joining us for this first edition of This Week on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network. We’ll be back next week with another roundup of everything new on the network.

Have a Show Idea?

The Autistic Culture Podcast Network is always looking for new voices and new perspectives.

If you have an idea for a podcast grounded in Autistic lived experience, culture, identity, advocacy, creativity, or special interests, we’d love to hear from you.

Submit Your Idea

None of that happens in isolation.

I was so focused on launching the Autistic Culture Podcast Network that I never stopped to give a proper public thank you to the sponsors, supporters, and organisations that helped us get here.

Then I saw SJ Childs doing such a beautiful job of celebrating the supporters of her 1 in 31 Connection Autism Summit and had one of those moments where I thought: Oh. Right. I should probably take a minute and do that too.

So, before I rush on to the next thing, I want to stop and say thank you to the following organizations.

Our Programming Partner: Neurodivergent by Design

Neurodivergent by Design believed in the vision of a network built around Autistic voices and Autistic culture. Their support has helped us develop programming across ACPN and build a home for more Autistic creators.

A programming partner supports the bigger picture: more voices, more shows, and more opportunities for Autistic-led media to grow.

Thank you, NDD, for believing in The Sound of Autistic Culture.

Supporting Grants: Zoom, VlogBrothers, Hatch, and NatWest

These organisations supported different parts of our development and growth.

Zoom has helped us connect, record, meet, collaborate, and build community across countries and time zones.

VlogBrothers gave us grant support at a moment when belief in this work mattered enormously.

Hatch has supported our development as a growing mission-led organisation and helped strengthen the business behind the mission.

NatWest has also invested in our growth and development, helping us build something designed to last.

Grant support is often invisible once the finished work reaches the public. The podcast episode appears in your feed. The event happens. The network launches. Behind all of that are people and organisations that gave an idea the resources and room to become real.

Thank you.

Our Show Supporters: Good Send, The Stashed Edit, and SJ Childs

Good Send, a Substack studio, supported our work and the kind of independent, creator-led media ecosystem we are building.

My sister’s company, The Stashed Edit, brought a creative, deeply personal approach to supporting Autistic-led storytelling and helped one of our shows keep reaching listeners.

And SJ Childs, whose work centres community, inclusion, and connection, has supported ACPN as a Show Supporter.

SJ, you also accidentally reminded me to write this post, so thank you twice.

Every Show Supporter helps keep a full season of Autistic-led podcasting on the air.

That means more stories shared. More creators heard. More people finding the episode that makes them stop and think, “Oh. Someone else gets it.”

And we still have one very big space open.

We are actively looking for a Presenting Underwriter for the Autistic Culture Podcast Network.

Your organisation could be here.

ACPN offers brands and organisations the chance to reach a deeply engaged, values-aligned audience of late-diagnosed Autistic adults, parents, educators, therapists, and neurodiversity-affirming professionals.

Podcast sponsorship offers something unusually personal.

Your message can be delivered by hosts listeners already trust. We match brands with the shows, voices, and audiences that genuinely fit. Sponsorship can extend across podcasts, show notes, the ACPN website, newsletters, social media, YouTube, and other network channels.

There are several ways to work with us:

Show Supporter: Sponsor a full season of one show.

Programming Partner: Reach multiple shows across the network through host-read advertising and wider ACPN visibility.

Presenting Underwriter: Become the exclusive presenting partner of the entire Autistic Culture Podcast Network.

So, if you run a business or organisation that could benefit from more exposure to a deeply engaged neurodivergent audience, I would love to talk.

And to everyone who has already supported us: thank you.

You helped keep our shows on the air, our hosts supported, and our community connected.

You helped us build The Sound of Autistic Culture.

Welcome to the second edition of This Week on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network.

Each week, we’ll guide you through what’s new across the network, highlight upcoming episodes, and help you discover new autistic-led podcasts and creators.

This week we’re celebrating an incredible first week of the network, reflecting on our launch party, and looking ahead to a packed schedule of new episodes covering theatre, education, addiction, football, healthcare, fishkeeping, neurodivergent life, and more.

📻 Tap any show below to listen and subscribe.

Please rate, share and review our shows, as it helps them grow and reach more people! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Monday 29th June

Theatrically Authentic – Episode 2: Predictably Chaotic

Sarah Atherton Knight and Simon Scott explore why theatre can feel both regulating and overwhelming for neurodivergent people, sharing stories from rehearsal rooms, tech weeks, previews, and life behind the curtain.

Subscribe to Theatrically Authentic

Mindful Mondays with Ashley Dupuy

Ashley returns with another mindful reflection and guided meditation to help neurodivergent listeners begin the week with intention and regulation.

Tuesday 30th June

Drinking to Mask and Unmask – Episode 2: Looking for the Perfect Fix

Chelsey Flood speaks with musician Rosalie James about addiction, recovery, creativity, quick fixes, and finding solutions that actually work for you.

Subscribe to Drinking To Mask and Unmask

Regulation Station – Episode 2: Finding the Right School Too Late

Becca Engle explores the transition from structured education into university life with Mitch Grace, discussing support systems, independence, and navigating higher education as a neurodivergent student.

Subscribe to Regulation Station

Wednesday 1st July

Hyperfocus FC – Episode 3: The 2014 World Cup

Simon Scott, James Hepworth, and Jack Hoban revisit Brazil 2014, discussing iconic goals, unforgettable moments, Germany’s 7-1 victory over Brazil, and one of football’s most dramatic tournaments.

Subscribe to Hyperfocus FC

Clinical Misfits – Episode 2: Endocrine Dysregulation

Dr Mary Sims examines the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and the body’s hormone systems, helping listeners better understand the connections between neurodivergence, health, and regulation.

Subscribe to Clinical Msifits

Thursday 2nd July

Autistic Rant Hour – Episode 3: Medical Gaslighting

Dr Gal Shkolnick tackles one of the most frustrating experiences many neurodivergent people face: medical gaslighting. A cathartic conversation about healthcare, chronic conditions, and being dismissed by the systems meant to support us.

Subscribe to The Autistic Rant Hour

The Neurodivergent Experience - Episode 117

Sophie James joins Simon Scott for a conversation about advocacy, coaching, young neurodivergent people, and building a career that works with your nervous system rather than against it.

Subscribe to NDE

Friday 3rd July

Hot Topic Friday

A new discussion from The Neurodivergent Experience team, tackling a fresh topic from the world of neurodivergence.

Subscribe to NDE

Collecting Fish– Episode 2: A River in Your Living Room

James Hepworth explores the creativity, beauty, ethics, and accessibility of freshwater aquariums, explaining how fishkeeping can become an immersive ecosystem-building hobby.

Subscribe to Collecting Fish

Saturday 4th July

Autistic Culture Podcast Rewind – Welcome to Autistica

Travel back to one of the earliest episodes of the Autistic Culture Podcast as Dr Angela Kingdon explores the foundations of autistic culture, identity, community, and belonging.

Subscribe to ACP Rewind

July 4th is Independent Podcasters Day

This week, we also celebrate Independent Podcasters Day and the incredible creators, networks, and communities helping independent voices thrive. Independent podcasting allows diverse stories and perspectives to reach audiences without being filtered through corporate gatekeepers.

Thanks to Matt Allen and the team at Mercury Podcasts for giving us a new reason to make July 4th Special!

#IndiePodDay

Independent Podcasters Day

Listen Ad-Free with Autistic Culture Plus

Want bonus content, early access, and ad-free listening across the entire network?

Join Autistic Culture Plus to support autistic creators and help us commission even more shows from our community.

Join Autistic Culture +

Thank you for joining us for this first edition of This Week on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network. We’ll be back next week with another roundup of everything new on the network.

Have a Show Idea?

The Autistic Culture Podcast Network is always looking for new voices and new perspectives.

If you have an idea for a podcast grounded in Autistic lived experience, culture, identity, advocacy, creativity, or special interests, we’d love to hear from you.

Submit Your Idea

It was August 2024 and I was getting about 20,000 monthly downloads of my podcast — far too successful to quit (we were in the top 1% of all podcasts!); but it was not successful enough to become my full-time job.

If you’ve never been there, it is difficult to explain the peculiar frustration of that middle ground. Every month, thousands of people choose to spend time with your work. You know the show matters. You know people care, but the math still refuses to cooperate.

I needed direction, so I attended Podcast Movement in Washington, DC, but nearly every conversation about podcast monetization seemed to end the same way.

Build a course.

Start coaching.

Create a consulting business.

I remember going home and crying because I thought there was no future in podcasting for people who simply wanted to make podcasts.

I didn’t want to be a coach, or run a mastermind, or start consulting on how to make a podcast.

I just wanted to make great audio.

So, I looked for alternative advice and the next best thing to selling coaching or consulting, was selling ads. But to do that, you needed more listens and to get more listens, everyone was recommending cross-promoting with shows who have a similar audience.

Okay, I thought, I can do that. So, I formed a fellowship.

Not an actual fellowship. There were no swords. Nobody received a cloak.

But there were twelve podcasters.

Armed with everything I learned from Podcast the Newsletter, Earbuds, Air Media, and every podcast marketing resource I could get my hands on, I was certain we had discovered the answer.

Feed Drops!

The experts all agreed. Podcasters discover podcasts from other podcasters. If we recommended one another’s shows, audiences would grow. Everybody would win.

The logic was flawless.

Which should have been my first warning.

I asked members of the fellowship to promote each other’s shows.

I imagined a great exchange of listeners flowing between shows. Thousands of people discovering new creators. A rising tide lifting all boats.

What actually happened was this:

Of the twelve members, I was one of only two of us who ran promos for any of the other shows.

Nothing else happened.

The grand alliance of podcasters had assembled.

Then immediately wandered off to answer email, record episodes, manage social media, work their day jobs, raise children, walk dogs, pay bills, and generally survive being human.

The problem was not that anyone was selfish.

The problem was that everyone was busy.

Independent podcasters operate like tiny kingdoms of one. Every creator is simultaneously the host, producer, editor, marketer, social media manager, advertiser, accountant, and customer service department.

Cross-promotion sounds easy until it becomes one more thing on an already impossible list.

So the collective stalled.

And I found myself standing among the ruins of a perfectly reasonable plan.

Fortunately, the one other creator who had actually a promo was already working with me on the Autistic Culture Podcast as a producer.

The two of us started talking about why it was so hard to get people to cross-promoted other shows. I promoted his and he promoted mine. What made our relationship different?

What if the problem wasn’t the people?

What if the problem was the structure?

The more I thought about it, the more obvious it became.

A collective asks people to cooperate.

A co-op gives them a reason to.

Those are not the same thing.

So we went back to the drawing board.

Instead of asking creators to promote one another as a favor, we built a system where everybody benefited when the network grew.

Instead of a loose collective, we built an artist co-op.

Creators retained ownership of their intellectual property. Nobody sold their show. Nobody gave away their rights.

Instead, they licensed their podcasts to the network for two years.

That allowed us to sell network-wide advertising, pursue sponsorships, coordinate launches, create shared marketing campaigns, and invest in audience growth.

For the first time, everyone’s incentives pointed in the same direction.

Growth for one show became growth for all shows.

Suddenly, the impossible tasks became possible because we had centralised the function.

All the promos and feed drops were under one management team. Now we could cross promote to our heart’s content.

A network trailer.

Launch campaigns.

Cross-promotion.

Shared advertising.

Shared production support.

Shared marketing.

Things that felt overwhelming for one creator became manageable.

Today, I feel hopeful.

Turns out, it was about building a structure where independent creators could succeed together instead of struggling alone.

And that may be the lesson I learned from the whole adventure.

People often assume community is built from shared values.

Shared values matter.

But shared incentives matter too.

An artist co-op doesn’t replace community.

It gives community a way to survive.

Our podcasting adventure is still far from being profitable, but now know it’s possible, and that is an ordinary task that feels like a heroic quest! We have an asset that we know will have tremendous value for sponsors. The next step is to go get some.

If you are a business owner and would like to reach over 100,000 neurodivergent people a month, we’d love to talk to you!

Sponsorship Kit

In our first Neurodivergent Narratives writing prompt for June, editor Genya invites us to use writing to go deeper into reflection. The writing prompt is below. Paid members will see it. If you don’t see it, either you are not a paid member, or you are logged in to the wrong account. If you are not a member, you will need to subscribe to have full access and to see the prompt below. If you would like a free subscription for June, just reply to this email, and we will get you a free trial month.

Read more

Our network grew out of the idea that Autistic life isn’t just a diagnosis, it’s a culture, a way of thinking, creating, communicating, connecting, and experiencing the world. We are looking for shows that explore everything about the Autistic lived experience not just the difficult or tragic aspects of being neurodivergent.

Members of the network are part of a co-op of creatives trading an exclusive 2 year license to their intellectual property for Audio editing, Noise reduction and cleanup, Volume leveling, Mixing, Mastering, Music insertion, Ad insertion, Intro/outro insertion, Transcript generation, Transcript editing, SEO optimization, Artwork creation, Episode-specific graphics creation, Audiogram creation, Video version creation, Caption generation, Upload to hosting platform, Metadata entry, Scheduling publication, Website posting, Newsletter creation, Social media post creation, Social media scheduling, PR, Community engagement, Cross-promotion coordination, and Analytics tracking.

Currently we are accepting brand new show that fall into one of 3 categories: interests and hobbies, identity and advocacy, and health and wellness.

If you like the idea of coming up with a podcast idea and recording it, but hate the idea of editing and marketing it, this is the opportunity you have been waiting for.

Apply Now

Here are some examples of shows that we would love to see on the network.

Interests & Hobbies

• Autistic deep dives into fandoms

• Sports shows about stats, patterns, and historical games you’ve memorised for no reason other than love.

• Music theory, instrumentation, or production for the Autistic brain

• Genre deep dives: sci-fi, horror, animation, anime, etc.

• Tabletop games - either individual or specific. For instance, it could be a show about D&D or a show about all modern European Strategy games.

• A video game review show - even something like a Warhammer show or a Zelda show, which follows a game or character through multiple genres

• Niche historical fascinations (railways, typography, folklore, maps, geology, etc.)

• Autistic approaches to scientific thinking and pattern recognition - for instance, we would love a science show from someone into climate or weather

Cultural Commentary Shows

• Autistic historical figures and overlooked contributions

• Media representation through an Autistic lens

• Neurodivergent approaches to competition and play

• Anthropology of our Autistic ancestors, including stone tool makers

• Autistic artists discussing process, sensory elements, and meaning

• Creativity, hyperfocus, and flow states

• Podcasts that treat sound as sensation, break down albums note by note

• Tracing the ethnomusicology of different musical genres from their beginnings to current incarnations

• Representation of neurodivergent characters — the good, the bad, the cringe

• Activism, advocacy, and grassroots organising
  

Life Stage Shows

• What to Expect when you are pregnant and Autistic

• Autistic parents sharing real-life experiences of raising neurodivergent kids

• Raising Autistic kids without the shame and fear so often imposed on us.

• Growing up Autistic, family dynamics, and intergenerational neurodivergence

• Surviving University Life for Autistic Young Adults

• Autistic entrepreneurs, freelancers, and creators

• Navigating workplaces, accommodations, and burnout

• Shows that look at a specific chronic illness that are highly correlated with Autism - for instance, a show about EDS, fibromyalgia, or POTS.
  

Propose a Pilot Show for ACPN

We are Currently Only Looking for New Autistic-Led Shows

We welcome creators with brand-new show ideas aligned with Autistic cultural values to apply to make a pilot mini-series of 4-12 episodes with us. The shows we’re looking for go beyond autism awareness or informational content. We’re especially interested in shows rooted in special interests, lived experience, and the many life stages and situations that shape Autistic lives and culture. If a mini-series is successful, it may be renewed or established as a regular show!

Pitch Details

In the application the key questions you will need to answer about your podcast are:

• What is the title or proposed title of your show?

• Write a 150 word show description that could be published on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

• Provide ideas for 4 - 12 episodes of your show that could make up season 1. For each episode, we would like to see a proposed episode title, description, guests you will have for that episode (if it's an interview show), and a few bullet points of discussion topics you might cover. You don't have to make these shows exactly, but we want to see what you would propose for a 4 - 12 episode season.

• Pick a category for your show

  • Hobbies & Interests (ex. music, sports, puzzles, games, science, nature, animals)

  • Health & Wellness (ex. mental health, insomnia & sleep apnea, MCAS, PCOS/PMOS, EDS, POTS, IBS)

  • Identity & Advocacy (ex. late diagnosis, parenting, dating, housing, disability rights, spirituality)
    

• Describe the format of the show. (Examples provided are from ACPN unless marked with an asterix - however we are looking for shows in all of these formats.)

  • Interview Podcast — Guest interviews and conversations (ex. Late Diagnosis Club)

  • Co-Hosted Conversation — Two or more hosts chatting (ex.The Neurodivergent Experience)

  • Solo / Monologue Podcast — One host, expert-led show (ex. Clinical Misfits)

  • Panel Podcast — Recurring group discussion with the same people (ex. Hyperfocus FC)

  • Roundtable — Like a panel but with different guests (ex.Two Mics, No Masking)

  • Nonfiction Narrative — Real stories told documentary-style (ex.Serial*)

  • Fiction Podcast — Scripted audio storytelling (ex.The Harbingers*)

  • Educational Podcast — Teaching and how-to content (ex. Autistic Culture 101)

  • News & Current Events — News, analysis, and commentary (ex. Hot Topic)

  • Review Show — Reviews and recommendations (ex. Still Growing Up Film Club)

Pitch Deadline

We’re currently accepting pitches for this round until July 14th of 2026. Shows will be considered on a rolling basis, so there is a slight advantage to getting your pitch in sooner in the application period to give yourself extra production time and to avoid someone else grabbing the slot for an idea you share.

You do NOT need to be a podcast expert, have fancy equipment or a co-host, or know everything about your show already. We care more about your passion, voice, and ideas than your technical skills.

Our production team will share a contract and clear, straightforward tech specs upon acceptance for your review and discussion. You will have at least 2 weeks to decide whether or not to accept our offer should you receive one.

If your pitch is accepted, all episodes in your mini-series will need to be fully produced and delivered by October 1, 2026. Delivering the full series by this date allows us to plan releases, promotions, marketing, and editorial support in a way that works well for everyone involved.

Apply Now

Why Join the ACPN movement?

Most media about Autistic people is still created by people who are not Autistic. Even when Autistic voices are included, our stories are often reduced to diagnosis, support needs, employment, relationships, or overcoming adversity. Those conversations matter, but they are not the whole of our lives.

The Autistic Culture Podcast Network exists to expand what Autistic representation sounds like. We believe Autistic people should be creating media about football, films, science fiction, history, comedy, parenting, politics, music, technology, and every other topic that captures our attention. Culture is not just what we struggle with. Culture is what we create.

We are also experimenting with a different economic model. ACPN operates on cooperative principles. We do not charge creators fees to join, and we do not take ownership of their intellectual property. Instead, creators retain ownership of their work while participating in a shared ecosystem built around mutual support, shared infrastructure, and revenue sharing. We believe creators should benefit from the value they help create, and that independent media is stronger when people work together rather than competing for the same limited resources.

Just as importantly, we have designed the network around the realities of how many Autistic people actually create. Traditional podcasting rewards relentless consistency, weekly publishing schedules, and endless content production. ACPN is built around seasons. Create a limited series. Follow a special interest. Take a break. Renew if the idea still excites you. We handle the editing, publishing, distribution, and promotion so creators can focus on the part they love most: making great content.

Whether you want to contribute to Autistic culture, reach a larger audience, share knowledge with the community, explore a special interest, or help build a new model for independent media, ACPN offers a place to do it alongside other Autistic creators.

We are not just building podcasts.

We are building the media institutions our community deserves.Ready to Pitch Your Show?

Apply Here

The most common question we get is if we can publish your existing podcast. We can’t. But you can end that podcast and start a new one with us. Alternatively you can keep that podcast going and create a second podcast with us which can be a single season pointing people to your existing show.

If you have other questions, want to talk your idea through, or need clarification, feel free to reach out:
📧 info@autisticculturepodcast.com

We can’t wait to hear what you’re dreaming up!

We wanted to send a personal thank you to every single person who showed up live at our launch party! 🙏 We really treasured the 75 minutes we had with you and appreciated your comments and support SO MUCH! 🙏

Enjoy the Audio Recording of the Launch

Those who attended live got a few exclusive gifts which you will hear about in the recording, but we are making one gift available to everyone and that’s 75% off our Autistic Culture Plus membership where you can listen EARLY and AD-FREE to every episode. Our shows are always free and released weekly or bi-weekly but if you want to binge listen, listen without interruptions, or get bonus episode content, this is the deal for you but it’s only available for 24 hours!

Alternative Video Recording

Ad-Free Subscription Launch Sale

Dr. Angela announced a 24-hour launch sale offering 75% off the ad-free subscription service, reducing the monthly price from £5 to just over £1 per month.

Now, for all of you who didn’t have time to join due to… timezones, appointments running late, the insane HEAT, not enough spoons, time blindness, or any other reasons which we 100% understand…

….the recording is up!

We have created a bit of ACPN lore, however, because our video recording failed…. but we were lucky enough that one of our hosts who was launching made a screen recording. We’ve tried to keep the following recap as detailed and scannable as possible so you can see everything we covered.

AI-Summary Highlights

The Autistic Culture Podcast Network (ACPN) officially launched nine new shows during this virtual launch party event, co-hosted by Angela Kingdon and Simon Scott. The network is positioned as a global, Autistic-led media platform dedicated to documenting and celebrating autistic culture through lived-experience storytelling — explicitly framed as “nothing about us without us.” Attendees were walked through the mission, the 10 Autistic Culture Pillars, the network’s structural model, and all nine debut show trailers. Practical guidance on subscribing, rating, and reviewing shows was provided, along with a 24-hour discounted paid subscription offer.

• Main network feed: “Autistic Culture Podcast Network Presents” — a single feed aggregating all shows; available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere else you get your podcasts

• Weekly digest: Every Sunday, “This Week on ACPN” highlights what’s airing across the network’s 10–15 weekly shows

• Newsletter: Subscribers also receive a written version of the weekly digest via Substack

• Launch sale: Ad-free subscription normally £5/month or £50/year is 75% off for 24 hours from the event — approximately £1/month (~$2 USD)

Founding Vision & Philosophy

Autistic Culture as a Framework

• Most autism media focuses on diagnosis, symptoms, interventions, and support needs, creating a narrow public narrative that autistic people are “patients, cases, problems to solve”

• Top-performing autism podcasts (e.g., The Telepathy Tapes, cited as a breakout hit of 2025) are hosted and produced by non-autistic people, profiting from autistic stories without autistic authorship

• The network’s core principle: “Nothing about us without us” — autistic culture must be defined and told by autistic people

The Deaf Culture Parallel

• Co-founder Angela drew a direct analogy to the Gallaudet University protests of 1989, where deaf students rejected hearing leadership and ultimately installed I. King Jordan — a far more qualified deaf candidate — as president

• Just as Deaf culture was defined through storytelling after that turning point, ACPN aims to define autistic culture through podcasting

• The term “autistic culture” was first used in written form by Kim Duff at an Autreat event in 1999 but has never been formally codified — ACPN is an effort to do so

The 10 Autistic Culture Pillars

Angela outlined the pillars underpinning all network shows (full academic treatment available on Autistic Culture 101 podcast):

• Bottom-up processing

• Rhythmic communicating

• Norm challenging

• World-building

• Pattern-matching

• Game-changing innovation

• Boldly creating

• Predictably comforting

• Justice-seeking

• Passionate superfanning

For more check out the Autistic Culture 101 series on the network

Analogy used: ACPN is to autistic people what BET (Black Entertainment Television) is to Black audiences — content made by and for the community, on its own terms, open to all.

Simon’s Creative Philosophy

• Simon framed the network’s production approach as “don’t tell them, show them” — borrowed from theater practice — meaning autistic culture is demonstrated through the form and feel of the shows, not just their subject matter

• Key production decision: retain the “waffle,” breaths, and pauses that are typically edited out of podcasts, because these are expressions of rhythmic communicating in autistic culture

• The ACPN jingle was intentionally designed to potentially become a stim or echolalia trigger — confirmed when Simon’s partner began walking around the house repeating “ACPN”

Network Trailer — Key Highlights

The ACPN network trailer was played in full, featuring voices from multiple creators. Notable elements:

• Positioned the network against the dominant narrative of autistic people as “patients, cases, problems to solve”

• Highlighted the global reach of the network with a comedic, self-aware sequence where Simon corrected “Lapland” to acknowledge the Sami people’s ancestral homeland, then pivoted to “Louisiana” (Angela later noted Louisiana is ceded Choctaw land. Discussion in the chat about whether this was accurate. Your own research is encouraged.)

• Ended with farewell phrases in multiple languages, reflecting the network’s international creator base

• The fact-check sequence occurred spontaneously during recording and was kept in as an authentic example of autistic culture in action

How to Support the Shows

Subscribing

• Apple Podcasts: Search show name → Follow → Leave star rating + written review

• Spotify: Follow the show → Listen to a portion of an episode (required before reviewing) → Three dots → Rate Show → 5 stars; leave comments on individual episodes

• Both actions boost algorithmic discoverability for all shows in the network, not just the one rated

Launched Shows — Nine Debut Titles

1. Collecting Fish — James Hepworth
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSDSrVhGj_ct9d5SxQmcTPyl6Q1ykYiDo

Spotify:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1896912642

• A short series on the hobby of fishkeeping; designed to be accessible even to those with no prior interest

• Simon noted that after editing the series, he felt confident enough to purchase a freshwater fish tank — described as “a brilliant how-to guide”

• Pillar connection: World-building

2. The NeuroComplex Creative — Vicki Peterson

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSDSrVhGj_ctYi7WJUz91UJs6m0713dV5

Spotify:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1896912833

• For neurodivergent artists, writers, and makers navigating chronic conditions, burnout, and creative blocks alongside their practice

• Vicki received a late autism and ADHD diagnosis, which reframed her understanding of her creative history

• Described as “regulating and affirming,” particularly valuable for reframing burnout-related negative self-perception

• Simon highlighted it as especially useful for perfectionists who struggle to restart after burnout

3. Clinical Misfits — Dr. Mary Sims

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSDSrVhGj_cvIP-37hM6YbxhWWgqlZirZ

Spotify:

Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1896912750

• Hosted by a neurodivergent neurologist; targets both healthcare professionals who feel out of step with the system and patients who have felt medically misunderstood 29

• Blends clinical experience, lived experience, published research, and emerging/debated interpretations of observed patterns

• Goal: help clinicians care more wisely and help patients enter appointments with better language and questions

• Angela named Dr. Sims the “Surgeon General of the ACPN”

4. Autistic Rant Hour — Dr. Gal Shkolnik (they/them)

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSDSrVhGj_csSir8BGmfecFP0Da4kz20-

Spotify:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1896912644

• An infodump and rant format show covering “the aggravating, the inexplicable, the unjust, and the infuriating” across all areas of life

• The trailer itself is a rant about podcast trailers — demonstrating the show’s format immediately

• Upcoming crossover episode features another ACPN host

5. Hyperfocus FC — Simon Scott, James Hepworth & Jack Hoban
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSDSrVhGj_cseWCDgi3dgxRXq6S10ycsz

Spotify:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1896912786

• A football/soccer show covering five iconic FIFA World Cups, co-hosted by three autistic friends

• Timed with the 2025 FIFA World Cup; described as “highly intelligent football conversations discussed by idiots”

• Covers the cultural experience around tournaments: sticker albums, kits, controversies, and personal memories tied to specific matches

6. Regulation Station — Becca Engel

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSDSrVhGj_cvwNX8ehYGcPXgJGgJuZLgU

Spotify:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1896912775

• A practical guide for parents navigating evaluations, IEPs, accommodations, and the education system for neurodivergent children

• Interview-format show; Becca was simultaneously speaking at four separate events on launch day

• Actively recruiting interviewees for next season — listeners interested in appearing can contact Angela

• Simon voiced the trailer in Becca’s absence

7. Drinking to Mask and Unmask — Chelsea Flood
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSDSrVhGj_csFryVm_XzaCmfxCbrfHhjL

Spotify:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1896912649

• Chelsea is a writer, lecturer, and late-diagnosed AuDHD person exploring the relationship between alcohol use, masking, and neurodivergence

• Interviews include experts (e.g., Dr. Felicity Sedgwick), former drinking companions, and strangers met online

• Covers compensation strategies, what they cost, and what people are trying instead

• A companion book is forthcoming from Jessica Kingsley Publishers

• Simon personally connected with this show, having used alcohol to mask and socialise

8. Creative Becoming — Elizabeth Moffett & Helen Shaddock

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSDSrVhGj_ctTzdb2Q92sPy0IlMFgdXhv
Spotify:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1896912438

• A co-hosted show on identity, creativity, storytelling, and artistic culture — notable for being co-hosted by one autistic (Helen, late-diagnosed) and one neurotypical (Elizabeth) host 44

• Provides practical tools for embedding creativity into daily routines; accessible to both autistic and non-autistic listeners 44

• Helen uses graphic art diaries as a sense-making practice; Elizabeth approaches creativity as a self-discovery tool 44

9. Theatrically Authentic — Sarah Atherton Knight & Simon Scott
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSDSrVhGj_ctM1djyZIdq4zMlOr7XmZNo

Spotify:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1896912437

• A behind-the-scenes theater podcast by neurodivergent theater makers, exploring why theater attracts neurodivergent minds 43

• Topics include: musical theater as a system of comfort and obsession, autistic-coded characters, lyrical patterns in Hamilton, moral complexity of Dear Evan Hansen, backstage culture, and the grief of closing night 43

• Sarah Atherton Knight also created the ACPN jingle and is the voice of the network; Simon credits Sarah with helping him realise he was neurodivergent 44

• Described as having “very Gremlin theater kid energy” 44

Additional Shows — Coming Soon (by October 1st)

• Two Mics, No Masking - Katie Scott and Jenna Goldstein

• Autism Help - Heather McKay

• Info Dump — Hannah Brockaway

• Autistic Standpoint Theory — Isha Snow

• Reading the Neurodivergent Gaze — Kelda Sholdace

• The Dialogues — Oswin Latimer

• Still Growing Up Film Club — Cece Fanning

Please Subscribe and Spread the Word

• Subscribing to one ACPN show increases the likelihood Spotify/Apple will recommend other ACPN shows to that listener

• Approximately 60% of podcast discovery happens via direct personal recommendation (text message, WhatsApp)

• Word of mouth described as “worth a thousand paid subscriptions”

As promised, here is the recording of our launch party.

Thank you for joining us for for the launch of The Autistic Culture Podcast Network. We will launching about one new show a week starting in July. Subscribe to our podcast newsletter “This Week on The Autistic Culture Podcast Network" on the primary “Autistic Culture Presents…” channel and you will hear about every new show before it launches!

Subscribe on Spotify or Apple podcasts here

Have a Show Idea?

The Autistic Culture Podcast Network is always looking for new voices and new perspectives.

If you have an idea for a podcast grounded in Autistic lived experience, culture, identity, advocacy, creativity, or special interests, we’d love to hear from you.

Submit Your Idea

📻 {RECAP} New Shows Launched This Week 📻

Click any artwork below to learn more and listen.

Drinking to Mask and Unmask
Hosted by Chelsey Flood, this series explores the relationship between autism, masking, alcohol, addiction, and survival through lived experience and compassionate conversations.

Subscribe on Spotify, Youtube, or Apple Podcasts here

Clinical Misfits
Dr Mary Sims combines medical expertise and lived experience to examine neurodivergent health, burnout, and the systems that shape our wellbeing.

Subscribe on Spotify, Youtube, or Apple Podcasts here

Autistic Rant Hour
Dr Gal Schkolnik offers sharp, funny, deeply informed discussions about bureaucracy, healthcare, accessibility, and all the systems that make Autistic people ask, “Who designed this?”

Subscribe on Spotify, Youtube, or Apple Podcasts here

The Neurocomplex Creative
Vicky Peterson explores creativity, burnout, chronic illness, and what it means to keep creating in a world that often demands too much from neurodivergent people.

Subscribe on Spotify, Youtube, or Apple Podcasts here

Creative Becoming
Helen Shaddock and Elizabeth Moffett reflect on identity, creativity, self-understanding, and building a life that fits who you actually are.

Subscribe on Spotify, Youtube, or Apple Podcasts here

Hyperfocus FC
Simon Scott, James Hepworth, and Jack Hoban revisit iconic World Cups and the culture surrounding football’s biggest stage through an unmistakably neurodivergent lens.

Subscribe on Spotify, Youtube, or Apple Podcasts here

Collecting Fish
Hosted by James Hepworth, this joyful celebration of fishkeeping proves that special interests are contagious—in the very best way.

Subscribe on Spotify, Youtube, or Apple Podcasts here

Theatrically Authentic
Sarah Atherton-Knight and Simon Scott explore theatre, neurodivergence, creativity, and the realities of building a life in the performing arts.

Subscribe on Spotify, Youtube, or Apple Podcasts here

Regulation Station
Becca Engle provides practical, neuroaffirming guidance for families, educators, advocates, and anyone supporting neurodivergent young people.

Subscribe on Spotify, Youtube, or Apple Podcasts here

Listen Ad-Free with Autistic Culture Plus

Want bonus content, early access, and ad-free listening across the entire network?

Join Autistic Culture Plus to support autistic creators and help us commission even more shows from our community.

Join Autistic Culture +

I made a mistake last Wednesday. I was supposed to release our weekly writing prompt on Wednesday and then today (Sunday the 21st) I was supposed to release the first episode of This Week on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network our new weekly “TV Guide/TV Pages” style show where we preview everything you can hear this coming week on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, but I was dysregulated and I messed up. Which, of course, is what happens.

It wasn’t a terribly big deal, but it was a reminder that I have to lay on my couch a lot to maximize my productivity. This goes against everything I was raised to believe and I want to tell you the story about that mistake, but first, I’ll just point out that you can hear the episode today if you have missed it and you will be right on time.

Lying in silence with my cat instead of hitting publish when I was all worked would have been the better choice but I was excited to share the episode.

A quick summary, in case you skipped it: each week we’ll be releasing this show on Sunday so you can make note of the episodes you want to listen to. For now, we are releasing about 10 to 15 episodes by Autistic creators for Autistic audiences, and we want you to know what’s available on the network. Nine brand-new shows are coming out tomorrow, so you can see why I got excited and jumped the gun.

What you might be surprised about is what happened next. I co-founded this network with , and as soon as I hit publish, I told him I had messed up. I wanted to get his feedback and advice, but I also wanted him to know I knew I had made a mistake. I can’t remember exactly what I said, but I know it was in line with the shared values we have for the network and our partnership: generosity.

We have learned to be transparent with each other and also to extend more grace than either of us is used to getting at work. We really do assume positive intent, and we just move forward. The other thing that’s amazing is that we can help each other see perspective. I was so freaked out because it’s called “THIS WEEK,” but these shows were debuting “NEXT WEEK,” and I was stuck in this pedantic loop about that fact being wrong, which, of course, is very bottom-up Autistic thinking.

Simon, however, was not a dysregulated mess when I reached out, and he assured me this was not a big deal and to just move on.

“As you were. Nothing to see here.”

It’s so challenging for me to stay calm and realize, oh wait, a podcast came out four days early. Who effing cares? But in this case, it’s really important, not just for my own well-being, but for the organization we are trying to build, or rather, the organization we ARE building.

Most organizations are organized under neuronormative capitalism. In some ways we are too because, well, we live here now and operate in this space. But sometimes we try to operate as if we lived in a land called Autistica. In Autistica there is so much grace for being late or early, talking too much or staying quiet, keeping your camera off, and posting things on the internet before they are ready.

In neuronormative podcasting, you don’t make mistakes with launch dates. You commit to doing a podcast, and it comes out every week even if you have no voice. In neuronormative podcasting, doing your best means camouflaging how you really feel and never admitting to making mistakes because you might get fired. In neuronormative podcasting, little white lies that allow people to save face are encouraged, and napping with your fluff ball of a cat midday (or going on a walk with your pudge-ball of a dog, in Simon’s case) is absolutely not.

We are natives of that land. My former podcast co-host Matt Lowry called it Neurotypicales and I so love that name. The Emperor of Neurotypicales likes work to start at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., even if you woke up early and knocked out four hours of work before 9. Sometimes Simon or I catch ourselves apologizing for missing a deadline or just, like, forgetting to do something we said we would do.

Our own credibility with ourselves gets blown when we violate the terms of employment in Neurotypicales, and we have to remind each other, “No, mate, this is Autistica. We just share where we are at and move forward from here without wasting time judging or being judged. It just is what it is. We are where we are. What’s next?”

At the end of May I said to Simon, “I have looked at our list of things to do in the next four weeks, and it’s a lot, but it’s not too much. If we put staying regulated FIRST and just work every second we have the actual units of energy to work, we will finish it. We just have to stay calm and keep each other calm.”

It can be hard to remember to just take one step at a time. I knew we could do it, though.

Sure enough, at 3:46 p.m. on the Friday before the launch, I got this message from Simon:

“All shows are programmed and green in the contract status doc.”

He had done it!

Running a podcast network has so many interdependencies. I had to make a website, but to link the shows I needed the RSS feed links. I couldn’t do the landing page for the launch until I had the website, and once I had the landing page I needed to program the emails, but the emails needed to link back to the RSS feeds. We could have hired a team of Six Sigma Military Grade Logistics Guys and still been overwhelmed by the details.

Truth be told, I didn’t finish my tasks until early this morning (Sunday morning) at about 1 a.m., when I sent the last press release of the pre-launch campaign. But we still have 22 hours from when I write this before we launch, and dare I say we are ready!

We are ready and happy and calm because we made the number one rule of our productivity: rest.

Rest as resistance against the insane rules of Neurotypicales, which do not work for us. But also rest as our A #1 most Atomic Habit.

We don’t want to just publish podcasts that talk about Autistic culture. We want to live as if we are in an Autistic culture instead of a neuronormative culture that triggers our trauma of not being good enough.

It sucked that I published the wrong post last Wednesday instead of this one, which has the weekly writing prompt below for our paid members. If you were waiting for this week’s prompt, I apologize and ask for the grace Simon extended to me.

I messed up.

I’m being transparent and accountable while also keeping in mind that the world is still spinning and I am just one Autistic person doing my best to get a lot of tasks crammed into the few hours a day I can work without kicking off a health-and-wellness cascade of problems.

This is the way in Autistica.

We prioritize staying regulated. We respect our need to stay regulated. We remind each other of that value. We forgive ourselves and others when we forget. And when we are in a place where we can, we model it.

Tomorrow is our launch party. We’d love it if you could register to attend live or get the recording. You’ll hear some trailers, meet some creators, and get the chance to support a project that we think is very much needed.

We will use the numbers as evidence in the grant applications we are putting forward to help pay for the editing, design, and marketing of the shows on our network so our creators don’t have to. This is why, even if you can’t come, registering and posting on social media about the event matters so much. These metrics could determine whether we get a grant to support the project or not.

The live version of the party is at 4 p.m. London time (11 a.m. ET) on June 22, but you can listen anytime.

Register for the Launch

In our first Neurodivergent Narratives writing prompt for June, editor Genya invites us to use writing to go deeper into reflection. The writing prompt is below. Paid members will see it. If you don’t see it, either you are not a paid member, or you are logged in to the wrong account. If you are not a member, you will need to subscribe to have full access and to see the prompt below. If you would like a free subscription for June, just reply to this email, and we will get you a free trial month.

Read more

In this final meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club Season One, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Simon Scott, co-founder of the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, co-host of The Neurodivergent Experience, and producer of this series.

Simon shares his own journey of identifying as neurodivergent, a story marked by missed signs, school struggles, identity, and years of feeling like an alien.

Together, Angela and Simon reflect on Simon’s work in podcasting — from co-hosting The Neurodivergent Experience to creating The Late Diagnosis Club — and how storytelling can create connection, validation, and community for neurodivergent people.

In the final part of the episode, they discuss the wider Autistic Culture Podcast Network, what they are building beyond this series, and what listeners can expect next.

This is a conversation about connection, self-understanding, and closing a season — while opening the door to what comes next.

🎧 Listen to this episode:

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate
Guest: Simon Scott — Podcast producer, co-founder of the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, and co-host of The Neurodivergent Experience
You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

• Opening remarks from the Chair

• Member introduction: Late identification and early missed signs

• School experiences and feeling “different”

• Simon’s podcasting journey

• Building The Late Diagnosis Club

• Community, belonging, and shared experience

• Looking ahead to Season Two and the Autistic Culture Podcast Network

• Key learnings

• Club announcements

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela introduces Simon Scott and reflects on the journey of The Late Diagnosis Club — a space created for connection, understanding, and shared experience.

2️⃣ Member Introduction: Simon’s Story

Simon describes a childhood marked by missed signs and environments that didn’t fit his needs.

School brought challenges that were often misunderstood, leading him to internalise the idea that he was the problem.

Without a framework for Autism, he learned to adapt and cope, carrying those patterns into adulthood.

Over time, through reflection and exposure to neurodivergent experiences, Simon began to understand himself differently, leading to his identification as Autistic.

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• Missed signs: Early indicators of neurodivergence not recognised

• School experience: Environments that didn’t meet his needs

• Internalised blame: Believing struggles were personal failings

• Adaptation: Coping without knowing why things were difficult

• Podcasting journey: From co-hosting The Neurodivergent Experience to producing The Late Diagnosis Club

• Community: Finding connection through listening and participation

• Reflection: Looking back with a new perspective

• The Autistic Culture Podcast Network: Expanding beyond one podcast into a wider platform

• What’s next: New shows, more voices, and continued community building

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• You can feel different without knowing why.

• Understanding yourself can change how you see your past.

• You are not alone in your experiences.

• Storytelling can be a powerful tool for connection and validation.

• Community can create a sense of belonging.

• There is no single way to be Autistic.

📌 Notice Board

• The Neurodivergent Experience on Spotify:

📣 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.
📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions
💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

💌 Want To Be Our Next Guest?

If you’ve been nodding along and thinking, “That could be my story,” we want to hear from you.

We’re always looking for late-diagnosed or self-identified neurodivergent adults who are ready to share their story on The Late Diagnosis Club.
Tell us a little about yourself and your diagnosis journey here:

💜 Whether you’ve just realised you’re Autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, or you’re still figuring it out — your story belongs here. We’ve saved you a seat.

Be Our Guest

💫 Why Your Support Matters

When you join Autistic Culture Plus or pitch a show to the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, you’re doing more than subscribing to a podcast —
You’re investing in Autistic-led media.

Included with Autistic Culture Plus

• Ad-free listening (sensory-friendly)
• Early access to every episode
• Exclusive archive of ~100 classic episodes

Every pound, dollar, or share helps:

🎙️ Fund neurodivergent creators — paying Autistic hosts, editors, and producers for their work
🌍 Amplify Autistic voices and stories that mainstream media too often overlooks
💡 Build an ecosystem of culture, not pathology — where being Autistic is celebrated, not “treated”
🤝 Support accessible, sensory-friendly storytelling made with our community in mind

For less than the price of a coffee, you help sustain a growing network that’s 100% by and for neurodivergent people — ensuring that Autistic stories, creativity, and brilliance reach the audiences they deserve.

Joining isn’t just a subscription.
It’s solidarity. Visibility. Community in action.

Join Autistic Culture +

💜 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 and 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.

🎧 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.

Welcome to the very first edition of This Week on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network.

Each week, this short update acts as our version of the old TV Guide: a quick way to find out what’s new across the network, discover shows you might have missed, and keep up with the incredible work being created by Autistic podcasters around the world.

Most weeks, we’ll simply let you know which episodes are arriving in your feed. But this week is a little different.

This week, we’re launching the Autistic Culture Podcast Network!

Join us for our Launch Party

After more than eighteen months of planning, hundreds of submissions, countless conversations, and a huge amount of work behind the scenes, we’re thrilled to introduce the first nine original shows joining the network alongside our existing programmes. These first nine shows will always be special.

📻New Shows Launching This Week

Click any artwork below to learn more and listen.

Drinking to Mask and Unmask
Hosted by Chelsey Flood, this series explores the relationship between autism, masking, alcohol, addiction, and survival through lived experience and compassionate conversations.

Subscribe to Drinking To Mask and Unmask

Clinical Misfits
Dr Mary Sims combines medical expertise and lived experience to examine neurodivergent health, burnout, and the systems that shape our wellbeing.

Subscribe to Clinical Msifits

Autistic Rant Hour
Dr Gal Schkolnik offers sharp, funny, deeply informed discussions about bureaucracy, healthcare, accessibility, and all the systems that make Autistic people ask, “Who designed this?”

Subscribe to The Autistic Rant Hour

The Neurocomplex Creative
Vicky Peterson explores creativity, burnout, chronic illness, and what it means to keep creating in a world that often demands too much from neurodivergent people.

Subscribe to The Neurocomplex Creative

Creative Becoming
Helen Shaddock and Elizabeth Moffett reflect on identity, creativity, self-understanding, and building a life that fits who you actually are.

Subscribe to Creative Becoming

Hyperfocus FC
Simon Scott, James Hepworth, and Jack Hoban revisit iconic World Cups and the culture surrounding football’s biggest stage through an unmistakably neurodivergent lens.

Subscribe to Hyperfocus FC

Collecting Fish
Hosted by James Hepworth, this joyful celebration of fishkeeping proves that special interests are contagious—in the very best way.

Subscribe to Collecting Fish

Theatrically Authentic
Sarah Atherton-Knight and Simon Scott explore theatre, neurodivergence, creativity, and the realities of building a life in the performing arts.

Subscribe to Theatrically Authentic

Regulation Station
Becca Engle provides practical, neuroaffirming guidance for families, educators, advocates, and anyone supporting neurodivergent young people.

Subscribe to Regulation Station

Listen Ad-Free with Autistic Culture Plus

Want bonus content, early access, and ad-free listening across the entire network?

Join Autistic Culture Plus to support autistic creators and help us commission even more shows from our community.

Join Autistic Culture +

Thank you for joining us for this first edition of This Week on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network. We’ll be back next week with another roundup of everything new on the network.

Have a Show Idea?

The Autistic Culture Podcast Network is always looking for new voices and new perspectives.

If you have an idea for a podcast grounded in Autistic lived experience, culture, identity, advocacy, creativity, or special interests, we’d love to hear from you.

Submit Your Idea

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Nyck Walsh, writer, therapist, and advocate, who shares their journey to identifying as Autistic and ADHD later in life.

Nyck reflects on growing up feeling fundamentally different — navigating school, relationships, and work without the language to understand why things felt harder than they seemed for others. Like many late-identified adults, they developed ways to cope, adapt, and push through, often at the expense of their own well-being.

It wasn’t until adulthood, through a combination of burnout, reflection, and exposure to neurodivergent experiences, that Nyck began to recognise themselves, leading to a deeper understanding of their needs, identity, and way of being.

This is a conversation about unlearning, self-acceptance, and choosing a different way forward.

🎧 Listen to this episode:

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate
Guest: Nyck Walsh — Writer, therapist, and AuDHD advocate
You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

• Opening remarks from the Chair

• Member introduction: Lifelong difference

• Discussion: Masking and adaptation

• Burnout and turning points

• Late identification journey

• Self-trust and unlearning

• Identity and authenticity

• Building a life that fits

• Key learnings

• Club announcements

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela introduces Nyck Walsh and reflects on the shared experience of reaching adulthood before having the language to understand oneself.

2️⃣ Member Introduction: Nyck’s Story

Nyck describes a lifelong sense of being different, not quite fitting into expected social, academic, or professional norms.

Without a framework for Autism or ADHD, they developed strategies to cope, often masking their natural responses and pushing themselves to meet external expectations.

Over time, this led to burnout and a growing awareness that something deeper needed to be understood.

Through reflection and exposure to neurodivergent experiences, Nyck began to recognise themselves, leading to a process of late identification and self-understanding.

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• Lifelong difference: Feeling out of sync with others from an early age

• Masking: Adapting behaviour to meet expectations

• Internal pressure: Pushing through despite difficulty

• Burnout: The cost of long-term masking

• Late identification: Recognition through reflection and community

• Self-trust: Learning to listen to internal needs

• Unlearning: Letting go of harmful narratives

• Identity shift: Moving toward authenticity

• Environment fit: Designing life around needs

• Coaching perspective: Supporting others through similar journeys

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• You can feel different long before you understand why.

• Masking can delay recognition but comes at a cost.

• Burnout is often a turning point toward self-understanding.

• Late identification can open the door to self-trust.

• Unlearning is as important as learning.

• Building a life that fits is a process, not a moment.

📌 Notice Board

• Neurodivergent Somatics in Therapy: an anti-oppressive model for whole person care - Nyck’s book - For book orders in Europe and Asia
  Nyck’s book - For book orders in the US
  The discount code is WN357 and offers a 30% discount on both the print and ebook when ordered through our site.
  nyckwalsh.com

• Nyck Walsh Counselling and Training Centre on Facebook

• Nyck Walsh on Instagram

• ADHD 2.0 and VAST

• Kinetic Cognitive Style (KCS) term for ADHD

📣 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.
📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions
💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

💌 Want To Be Our Next Guest?

If you’ve been nodding along and thinking, “That could be my story,” we want to hear from you.

We’re always looking for late-diagnosed or self-identified neurodivergent adults who are ready to share their story on The Late Diagnosis Club.
Tell us a little about yourself and your diagnosis journey here:

💜 Whether you’ve just realised you’re Autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, or you’re still figuring it out — your story belongs here. We’ve saved you a seat.

Be Our Guest

💫 Why Your Support Matters

When you join Autistic Culture Plus or pitch a show to the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, you’re doing more than subscribing to a podcast —
You’re investing in Autistic-led media.

Included with Autistic Culture Plus

• Ad-free listening (sensory-friendly)
• Early access to every episode
• Exclusive archive of ~100 classic episodes

Every pound, dollar, or share helps:

🎙️ Fund neurodivergent creators — paying Autistic hosts, editors, and producers for their work
🌍 Amplify Autistic voices and stories that mainstream media too often overlooks
💡 Build an ecosystem of culture, not pathology — where being Autistic is celebrated, not “treated”
🤝 Support accessible, sensory-friendly storytelling made with our community in mind

For less than the price of a coffee, you help sustain a growing network that’s 100% by and for neurodivergent people — ensuring that Autistic stories, creativity, and brilliance reach the audiences they deserve.

Joining isn’t just a subscription.
It’s solidarity. Visibility. Community in action.

Join Autistic Culture +

💜 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 and 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.

🎧 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.

There are twelve days until the launch of the Autistic Culture Podcast Network.

I know this because I have checked the calendar four times this morning.

The graphics are done. The trailer is finished. The landing page works. The press release is written. There are nine new shows, with more to come later this summer and in the autumn. People keep emailing me with practical questions, the kind you only ask when a dream is really looking likely to happen.

What time should I post?

Can I use this headshot?

Do you have the final logo files?

I am trying to answer every email and stay positive. If we keep going, I know we will get there.

But for now I am in this in-between land. There is a part of me that thinks this could be a huge success and another part of me that’s terrified the whole thing is about to fall apart.

It’s so hard to keep going at a time like this. To stay hopeful after burnout and failures have taken dreams away in the past. Maybe it’s easier not to dream at all.

When you are late-diagnosed Autistic, you spend a long time learning that your certainty and everyone else’s certainty are not the same thing. You walk into a room thinking you understand the assignment and then discover you were reading from a different script entirely.

Eventually you stop trusting yourself. Or maybe I should just speak for myself. I know after thinking I was doing everything right, being so thoughtful and careful, planning so hard for so long, and then failing, or being rejected or ignored. I have stopped trusting myself.

Part of me wants to quit. But part of me is a World Builder, a Data Gatherer, and a Rhythmic Communicator. I can’t wait around for the validation of someone more famous than me to tell us what I am building is important. I can see it. I know my business partner Simon can see it. The creators on our network can see it. And I hope with time you will be able to see the vision too.

The 2026 network schedule is robust. Twenty-five podcasts will be live on the network over the course of the year. Podcasts about Film. Football. Menopause. Parenting. Black autistic identity. Books. Religion. Anger. Friendship. Things I care about and things I never would have thought to make.

I was halfway through writing a resignation letter in my head when another message from a creator showed up.

He’s been flirting with burnout and I keep worrying he might quit, but there he was, handsome as ever, smiling picture standing in front of a book shelf with my first book about Autistic Culture on it.

“Hey Angela! Miss connecting with you - things have been so nuts but I wanted to share this with you - one of the first things I’ve done with my space (after painting) was to get some of my go-to books on my shelf. 💚”

He wasn’t asking whether we were really doing this.

He was excited because he had prepped a space that will be perfect for recording one of our upcoming shows for the Autistic Culture Podcast Network.

I must have read that message ten times.

Then another one came in.

Another creator copied me on a message to another podcast host asking whether we could organize crossovers between shows after the launch.

Not if.

After.

Yet another creator put me on her email list, and she sent a notification. “I'm excited to announce that on 22 June 2026 the Autistic Culture Podcast Network will launch my show.” and then messaged me privately to say:

”I’m getting good feedback since sending my Podcast Launch email!”

This. Is. Happening.

I looked back at the schedule on my ACPN Launch Checklist Google doc and checked another box.

For months, Simon and I have been carrying this project the way you carry a secret. Carefully. Quietly. Slogging through each of the unknown steps to starting a podcast network.

And then I realized something.

We are doing it already. So many people are walking toward it with us.

We are not dragging people toward a dream.

Twelve days before the launch, my little victory is this:

We aren’t doing it alone.

You’re here, right?

The world still might not understand what we are building.

The launch could still go wrong.

Technology will probably misbehave.

Somebody will almost certainly meltdown.

I probably will.

But for the first time in my life, I have stopped asking whether I am allowed to imagine a different future.

I am just staying focused on living into it.

Would you please join us at 4pm London Time (11am ET) on the 22nd of June to celebrate our victory?

Register for the Launch

In our first Neurodivergent Narratives writing prompt for June, editor Genya invites us to use writing to go deeper into reflection. The writing prompt is below. Paid members will see it. If you don’t see it, either you are not a paid member, or you are logged in to the wrong account. If you are not a member, you will need to subscribe to have full access and to see the prompt below. If you would like a free subscription for June, just reply to this email, and we will get you a free trial month.

Read more

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Katharine Gates, a writer, artist, and long-time creative who identified as Autistic and ADHD after a lifetime of questioning herself.

Katharine shares how she spent decades feeling like the “odd one out” — academically gifted, outwardly successful, yet constantly struggling with everyday life, relationships, and a persistent sense that something didn’t quite fit.

After 40 years of therapy, misdiagnoses, and searching for answers, it was a period of autistic burnout that finally led her to recognise her neurodivergence and begin to reframe her life.

This is a conversation about being misunderstood for decades — and what changes when you finally understand yourself.

🎧 Listen to this episode:

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate
Guest: Katharine Gates — writer, artist, and Autistic + ADHD creator
You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

• Opening remarks from the Chair

• Member introduction: Gifted child, lifelong difference

• Discussion: Masking, achievement, and burnout

• Privilege and hidden accommodations

• ADHD + Autism dual identification

• Alexithymia and emotional processing

• Special interests and bottom-up thinking

• Family patterns and generational neurodivergence

• Self-compassion and dropping shame

• Key learnings

• Club announcements

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela introduces Katharine Gates, whose story reflects a common Late Diagnosis Club experience — decades of feeling different, capable, and confused all at once.

2️⃣ Member Introduction: Katharine’s Story

Katharine describes herself as an “exceedingly odd child,” growing up academically gifted but struggling to translate that success into everyday life.

She became highly skilled at masking — orienting her life around achievement and external validation — while privately questioning why basic things felt so difficult.

Over time, this led to cycles of burnout, misdiagnosis, and self-blame, with labels such as depression, anxiety, substance use, and personality disorder used to explain her experiences.

It wasn’t until a major burnout in adulthood that Katharine encountered the concept of autistic burnout and began recognising herself in Autistic narratives.

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• Gifted but struggling: Academic success masking real challenges

• Hyper masking: Performing competence at the cost of burnout

• Burnout trigger: Brain “stopping” rather than emotional collapse

• Therapist dismissal: Being told she “just wanted to feel special”

• ADHD alongside Autism: Dual identification later in the process

• Alexithymia: Difficulty identifying and processing emotions

• Masking as performance: Life experienced as “putting on a show”

• Parenting moment: Struggles with empathy prompting deeper reflection

• Generational patterns: Neurodivergence, trauma, and coping across family lines

• Special interests: Deep dives into systems, patterns, and categorisation

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• You can be highly capable and still struggle deeply.

• Masking can delay recognition for decades.

• Privilege can both hide support needs and meet them.

• Burnout can be the turning point toward understanding.

• Emotional processing differences are often overlooked.

• Special interests can shape identity, career, and meaning.

• Self-compassion can be one of the most powerful outcomes of a diagnosis.

📣 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.
📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions
💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

💌 Want To Be Our Next Guest?

If you’ve been nodding along and thinking, “That could be my story,” we want to hear from you.

We’re always looking for late-diagnosed or self-identified neurodivergent adults who are ready to share their story on The Late Diagnosis Club.
Tell us a little about yourself and your diagnosis journey here:

💜 Whether you’ve just realised you’re Autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, or you’re still figuring it out — your story belongs here. We’ve saved you a seat.

Be Our Guest

💫 Why Your Support Matters

When you join Autistic Culture Plus or pitch a show to the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, you’re doing more than subscribing to a podcast —
You’re investing in Autistic-led media.

Included with Autistic Culture Plus

• Ad-free listening (sensory-friendly)
• Early access to every episode
• Exclusive archive of ~100 classic episodes

Every pound, dollar, or share helps:

🎙️ Fund neurodivergent creators — paying Autistic hosts, editors, and producers for their work
🌍 Amplify Autistic voices and stories that mainstream media too often overlooks
💡 Build an ecosystem of culture, not pathology — where being Autistic is celebrated, not “treated”
🤝 Support accessible, sensory-friendly storytelling made with our community in mind

For less than the price of a coffee, you help sustain a growing network that’s 100% by and for neurodivergent people — ensuring that Autistic stories, creativity, and brilliance reach the audiences they deserve.

Joining isn’t just a subscription.
It’s solidarity. Visibility. Community in action.

Join Autistic Culture +

💜 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 and 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.

🎧 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.

REGISTER to ATTEND FREE

The Sound of Autistic Culture is Here

On June 22nd, we will officially launch the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, the first global podcast network built by Autistic creators to document and celebrate the full breadth of Autistic life through audio.

We hope you’ll help us spread the word and join us for launch week, because this project arrives at an important moment in the history of Autistic civil rights.

Share the Launch Link

For decades, autism has largely been discussed through medical, educational, and clinical institutions. That work has shaped diagnosis, services, and public awareness. It has also meant that much of the public conversation about autistic people has been filtered through systems focused on need, intervention, behavior, and support.

Those conversations matter. They are part of our lives.

They are not the whole story.

Civil rights movements grow stronger when communities begin telling fuller stories about themselves, in their own voices, across the ordinary and extraordinary parts of life. That shift matters because culture shapes public imagination. Media shapes belonging. The stories a society tells about a group influence how that group is understood by institutions, by neighbors, and often by members of the community themselves.

Autistic people have always had rich and varied lives. We build families. We create art. We care deeply about sport, science, religion, politics, gaming, nature, books, disability justice, friendship, and a thousand niche passions. We experience joy and grief. We navigate illness and recovery. We age. We make meaning. We contribute to culture while also building cultures of our own.

Yet there are still very few places where the full dimension of Autistic life is visible all at once.

That is why ACPN matters.

The Autistic Culture Podcast Network brings together more than 25 creator-led podcasts from across the UK, Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand, covering hobbies and interests, health and wellness, identity and advocacy, and the ordinary rhythms of everyday life.

Taken together, these shows offer something powerful: a wider and more internally consistent public record of who Autistic people are, what we care about, what we create, and how we live.

That matters culturally.

It matters politically.

And it matters personally.

Because when a community is represented only through challenge, the hardest parts of that experience can begin to stand in for the whole. A broader cultural record creates more room for recognition, dignity, belonging, and connection. It helps Autistic people see one another more clearly. It helps families, clinicians, educators, and institutions build deeper cultural literacy. It expands the public imagination around what Autistic life looks and sounds like.

This is one small part of a much larger movement toward Autistic cultural self-definition.

And we would love for you to be part of it.

Please join us on June 22 as we launch the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, help us share it with your communities, and help us welcome more people into this growing conversation.

The sound of Autistic culture is here.

And we’re just getting started.

You can apply to have your own show on the network too. We are especially looking for:

• Radio Drama

• A Minecraft themed show

• A Dungeons and Dragons show

• A Taylor Swift Show

• Nancy Drew/ Murder She Wrote/ Sherlock Holmes themed show

• True Crime review show - what’s the best True Crime content?

• An Engineering Show - Tell us how things work!

• Rollercoaster Reviews

But we want to hear what is on your mind too. Right now we are not looking for shows about autism, we are looking for shows BY Autistic people created in an Autistic way!

Tell Us Your Idea

Each month we have content exclusively for our paying supporters including Book Club sessions, workshops, member meetups, and our Virtual Writing circle. More exclusive content for paying supports follows. If you are not already a supporting member, just click “upgrade” in the top right-hand corner on the AutisticCulture.substack.com page or get a free 7 day trial here. If you enjoy your paid trial and want to continue but don’t have the funds, just ask for a free pass, no one is ever turned away who wants to join and cannot afford it.

Get a 7 Day Free Trial

If you are already a member, keep reading for the members’ only writing prompts for the month.

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In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Dale Pickles — host of Sendcast and Managing Director of B Squared — for a wide-ranging conversation on late diagnosis, education systems, and what it really means to support neurodivergent people.

Dale shares how he grew up surrounded by special education — yet still missed his own Autism and ADHD. It wasn’t until 2023, prompted by supporting his daughter through her diagnosis journey, that everything finally clicked.

This is a conversation about understanding yourself, supporting the next generation, and rethinking systems that weren’t built for neurodivergent minds.

🎧 Listen to this episode:

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate
Guest: Dale Pickles — SEND specialist, podcast host, and Managing Director of B Squared
You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

• Opening remarks from the Chair

• Member introduction: Family neurodivergence and missed recognition

• Learning social rules and masking

• Late diagnosis through parenting

• Navigating the UK diagnosis system

• Education system challenges and executive function in schools

• SEND reform and needs-led support

• AI and neurodivergent support tools

• Key learnings

• Club announcements

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela introduces Dale Pickles and reflects on how someone can grow up immersed in special education and still miss their own neurodivergence.

2️⃣ Member Introduction: Dale’s Story

Dale grew up in a family deeply connected to special education, yet his own Autism and ADHD were not identified.

Although he recognised he was different, he didn’t feel he met diagnostic criteria. Instead, he developed ways to adapt, learning social rules, structuring his environment, and building a life that worked for him.

His path to diagnosis came later, prompted by supporting his daughter through her own challenges and recognition.

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• Missed in plain sight: Growing up around SEND without recognising himself

• Family neurodivergence: Traits present across generations

• Long-term relationships: Building connections through learned skills

• Diagnosis trigger: Supporting his daughter through school struggles

• Self-accommodation: Designing life to reduce friction

• Labels vs reality: Diagnosis doesn’t define ability

• Fail-first system: Support often comes only after crisis

• SEND reform: Moving toward needs-led support

• Early intervention: Preventing long-term harm

• Executive function gap: A missing focus in schools

• AI support: Tools for communication, reflection, and preparation

• Environmental impact: Needs to change depending on context

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• You can build a life that works without knowing why it works.

• Late diagnosis often comes through supporting others.

• Self-accommodation is a powerful but often invisible skill.

• Diagnosis is personal and not always necessary for everyone.

• Education systems often require failure before support.

• Early support can prevent long-term harm and trauma.

• Executive function is a key area often overlooked in schools.

📌 Notice Board

• Dale’s Podcast - https://thesendcast.com/sendcast-episodes/

• Dale’s LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/dalepickles

• Brain in Hand App

📣 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.
📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions
💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

💌 Want To Be Our Next Guest?

If you’ve been nodding along and thinking, “That could be my story,” we want to hear from you.

We’re always looking for late-diagnosed or self-identified neurodivergent adults who are ready to share their story on The Late Diagnosis Club.
Tell us a little about yourself and your diagnosis journey here:

💜 Whether you’ve just realised you’re Autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, or you’re still figuring it out — your story belongs here. We’ve saved you a seat.

Be Our Guest

💫 Why Your Support Matters

When you join Autistic Culture Plus or pitch a show to the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, you’re doing more than subscribing to a podcast —
You’re investing in Autistic-led media.

Included with Autistic Culture Plus

• Ad-free listening (sensory-friendly)
• Early access to every episode
• Exclusive archive of ~100 classic episodes

Every pound, dollar, or share helps:

🎙️ Fund neurodivergent creators — paying Autistic hosts, editors, and producers for their work
🌍 Amplify Autistic voices and stories that mainstream media too often overlooks
💡 Build an ecosystem of culture, not pathology — where being Autistic is celebrated, not “treated”
🤝 Support accessible, sensory-friendly storytelling made with our community in mind

For less than the price of a coffee, you help sustain a growing network that’s 100% by and for neurodivergent people — ensuring that Autistic stories, creativity, and brilliance reach the audiences they deserve.

Joining isn’t just a subscription.
It’s solidarity. Visibility. Community in action.

Join Autistic Culture +

💜 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 and 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.

🎧 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.

This was the final meeting of the Late Diagnosis Club for May 2024, with Dr. Angela welcoming members and announcing the summer hiatus until after Labor Day. Dr. Angela shared major update…

Read more

One of the most underused skills in writing is the permission to go long. Most of us, when we sit down to write about something we love or something we have been turning over in our minds, instinctively compress. We write a paragraph and call it done. We summarize the thing we have been thinking about for weeks into three sentences. We trim the writing to a length we imagine someone else would tolerate, even when no one else is going to read it. This is worth looking at honestly. The compression habit is trained, not natural. Years of being told that our enthusiasms were too detailed, our explanations too long, our interests too specific, taught us to make ourselves smaller before anyone could ask us to. On the page, this habit is working against us. The pieces of writing that move readers, and that move the writer most of all, are almost always the ones where the writer let themselves go further than felt socially acceptable.

A 2025 paper by Aiston, Koteyko, and van Driel in Applied Linguistics argues that Autistic communication has been pathologized in ways that systematically misread our depth, detail, and intensity as problems to be managed rather than as legitimate communicative strengths. The authors trace decades of research that have treated our way of communicating as a deficit, when in fact our communication often carries more information, more accuracy, and more authentic connection than the more compressed neurotypical version. They make the case for what they call neurodiversity-affirmative research, meaning research that stops treating Autistic communication as a less polished version of the standard and starts treating it as its own valid form. For those of us who have spent years editing ourselves down for audiences who were not going to receive us well anyway, the page is a different kind of space. It does not require the edit. It does not flinch at length. It does not get bored. So this week, if a piece of writing wants to keep going, let it. The instinct to wrap up early is usually trained, not earned. The page can hold more than we have been told it can.

In our final Neurodivergent Narratives writing prompt for May, editor Lindsee invites us to take the long, full, unapologetic look at one specific thing in our lives:

The writing prompt is below. Paid members will see it. If you don’t see it, either you are not a paid member, or you are logged in to the wrong account. If you are not a member, you will need to subscribe to have full access and to see the prompt below. If you would like a free subscription for April, just reply to this email, and we will get you a free trial month.

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Tomorrow’s meeting will be a Late Diagnosis Club Member Infodump session!

There is something uniquely connective about hearing a neurodivergent person speak in depth about whatever currently has their full attention. Member Infodumps are where the Late Diagnosis Club gets to do that on purpose. Each member who wants to present takes three to five minutes to walk the group through what they are working on and why it matters to them. You can use slides, share your screen, hold up an object, read from notes, or just talk through your thinking. Your topic might be a long-standing special interest or something that lit you up last week. A hobby. A creative project. A game. A historical period. A fandom theory. A craft technique. A scientific deep dive. A spreadsheet you built simply because it brought you satisfaction. If it currently has your attention, it belongs here.

What makes these sessions different from the rest of the internet is the listening. Everyone in the room knows what it feels like to be told they are too much, too detailed, too into one thing. Nobody is going to do that here. The depth is the point. The detail is the point. The genuine, unmasked enthusiasm is the point. If you have ever had a piece of knowledge or a project you wanted to share with people who would actually receive it, this is the room.

If you would like to present, start gathering your notes. If you would rather attend and listen, you are equally welcome. Both ways of showing up make the session work.

We’re saving you a seat.

The link to join the Zoom Meeting is below. Paid members will see it. If you aren’t don’t see it, either you are not a paid member, or you are logged in to the wrong account. If you are not a member, you will need to subscribe to have full access and to see the link below. If you would like a free subscription for April, just reply to this email, and we will get you a free trial month.

Upgrade now for full access and to join us for our live weekly community connection calls.

Upgrade to Paid

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