Welcome to This Week in Autistic Culture
This week, Angela and Simon explore social media's role in Autistic identity and community. From the early days of Wrong Planet to finding your people through Instagram and YouTube, they discuss how online spaces have helped Autistic people understand themselves, connect with others and discover their culture. But as governments introduce new restrictions on social media access for young people, could we be making it harder for the next generation of Autistic people to find their community?
For our third excavation into the Autistic Culture Archive, Angela is taking Simon back into the extraordinary story of Elizabeth Holmes. Using the Ten Pillars of Autistic Culture as their guide, they dig deeper into the Theranos founder’s world, exploring communication, intense focus, innovation, ambition and the complicated relationship between recognising Autistic patterns and making assumptions about somebody’s neurotype.
By the end, there’s one particularly uncomfortable question left: could Elizabeth Holmes be an artefact of Autistic culture?
If this week’s excavation leaves you wanting to dig deeper, you can explore the full Elizabeth Holmes Field Report in the Autistic Culture Archive, where Angela brings together the research, evidence, rabbit holes and connections to the Ten Pillars that couldn’t fit into the show.
As always, we’ll take you through everything coming up across the Autistic Culture Podcast Network this week!
This Week’s Topics:
Autism and ADHD: people need support before diagnosis, but getting one can change their lives
Social media provides valued community spaces for autistic young people
📻 On Air This Week:
Monday 19th October
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 20th October
AI and Autism - Episode 2: Can AI Translate Between Two Different Minds?
In this episode of AI and Autism, Bre Ransome speaks to Jon Mick, an AuDHD product manager and founder of AIs & Shine. Jon shares how experimenting with ChatGPT grew into something much bigger: a detailed AI-supported “life model” that helped him explore his neurodivergence, understand patterns in his marriage and reconsider how he communicates with his wife, Charlotte.
Wednesday 21st October
Autism Help - Season 2 Premiere - Episode 1: Hobbies, Special Interests and Autistic Burnout
In this episode of Autism Help, Heather McKay explores the importance of hobbies and special interests for autistic people, and what happens when we lose interest in the things that bring us joy.
Heather discusses the differences between autistic and ADHD hobbies, including the emotional impact of losing a deeply meaningful interest, the financial cost of abandoned hobbies, and the relationship between hobbies, depression and burnout.
Thursday 22nd October
The Neurodivergent Experience - Episode 132
Jordan James and Simon Scott return for a conversation about the Neurodivergent Experience!
📚 From the Archive - Friday 23rd October
Autistic Culture Podcast Rewind – The Good Place is Autistic
In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, hosts Dr Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP, dive into the afterlife with NBC’s hit show The Good Place—unpacking its autistic-coded characters, neurodivergent themes, and the profoundly autistic joy of moral philosophy.
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🎧 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 pairs carefully chosen songs inspired by its themes, 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.
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