Autistic Culture Presents...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Matt and Angela dive into the world of board games—a structured, sensory-rich hobby beloved in the autistic community. With research showing that 7% of autistic people enjoy board games (compared to just 1% of neurotypicals), it’s no wonder they hold such a special place in our culture. 🎧 What You’ll Learn Why board games resonate with autistic pla...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Special guest Hunter Hammersen joins Matt and Angela to share how knitting blends a stim, a special interest, and a sensory joy all in one. From the textures of yarn to the meditative repetition of stitches, Hunter explains why knitting is a perfect autistic pastime—both deeply personal and socially connective. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: How knitting off...

In this episode of Autistic Advocacy, Matt and Angela explore how to create a joyful, neurodivergent Christmas by letting go of societal expectations, prioritizing sensory needs, and embracing personalized traditions. They unpack the pressures of picture-perfect Hallmark holidays, the disruptions to autistic routines, and the importance of setting boundaries—while also sharing strategies for reduc...

In this episode of Autistic Advocacy , Matt and Angela take on audience requests to break down the problematic and often misleading language of the DSM-5. They unpack how the manual pathologizes autism, overlooks key realities like proprioceptive challenges and co-occurring conditions, and frames autistic traits through a strictly neurotypical viewpoint. From dismantling ableist IQ testing to refr...

In this episode of Autistic Advocacy , Matt and Angela explore the viral Takiwātanga meme—a social media trend often featuring striking images of Polynesian women and claiming that Takiwātanga is the Māori word for autism, meaning “in their own time and space.” They trace the real story behind the word, its creator, and the deeper cultural and colonial implications it raises. 🎧 What You’ll Learn...

In this episode, Angela and Matt explore how to approach creative projects through a neurodivergent lens. From scripting and hyperfocus to book mapping and demand avoidance, they unpack the ways autistic traits can both challenge and supercharge the writing process. Whether you’re crafting your first short story or planning a full novel, this conversation shows how writing systems can be just as e...

In this episode of Autistic Advocacy , Matt and Angela dive into the autistic hell that is moving—exploring the intricate details, overwhelming processes, and the regulation strategies that can make the chaos more manageable. From survival packs to emotional attachment to belongings, they break down the systems autistic individuals often need to stay comfortable and grounded at home. 🎧 What You’l...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Matt and Angela discuss everyone’s favourite mythical creature—the vampire. Throughout the conversation, they uncover some uncanny parallels between autistic individuals and our fang-tastic fictional friends. 🩸 What You’ll Sink Your Teeth Into in This Episode The parallels between autistic individuals and vampires begin with health comorbidities li...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Dr. Angela Kingdon shares the dazzling story of Freddie Mercury’s Autistic traits with her co-host, Matt Lowry, LPP. From his love of cats to his unmatched vocal brilliance, we explore how Mercury’s life and art reflect the beauty of the autistic experience. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: How Freddie’s hypermobility and possible EDS contributed to his extrao...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP chat with Ashley Storrie—comedian, writer, autistic advocate, and the star of the new series Dinosaur (available now on Hulu in the U.S.). Ashley brings her full autistic self to the role of Nina, offering representation that’s not just authentic, but transformative. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: The unconvention...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Autistic hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP discuss the many ways Taylor Swift and her fanbase of “Swifties” embody and reflect Autistic Culture. This episode was HIGHLY requested by Autistic Swiftie listeners and their contributions are incorporated throughout. Much like how Cher is a Queer culture icon—regardless of her own sexual orient...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP explore the hidden role autistic people play in making Wikipedia what it is today. While the platform thrives on autistic strengths like information organization, data hunger, and special interests, there’s also a darker side: exploitation, harassment, and ableism inside Wikimedia’s culture. 🎧 What You’l...

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. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: Chidi Anagonye as one of TV’s most autistic-coded characters—his special interests, concrete thinking, anxi...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast , hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP explore the powerful memoirs of two acclaimed autistic comedians: Hannah Gadsby ( 10 Steps to Nanette ) from Tasmania and Fern Brady ( Strong Female Character ) from Scotland. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: Parallels in Gadsby’s and Brady’s lives, including struggles with misdiagnosis, gender-based violence, homo...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast , hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP draw connections between the behaviors and traits exhibited by cats and the common experiences of autistic individuals. 🎧 What You’ll Learn Comparing feline quirks—like sensory preferences, strong routines, and communication styles—with autistic traits. Why cats’ particular needs for predictability and...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast , hosts Matt Lowry, LPP and Dr. Angela Kingdon take a fresh look at tennis legend John McEnroe, reframing his legacy through a neurodiversity-affirming lens. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: How McEnroe’s pattern recognition and visualization skills helped him anticipate the ball’s movements and turn tennis into a “math equation.” Why his emotional on-court rea...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast , hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP take on the self-help mega-hit Atomic Habits by James Clear—exploring why its behaviourist strategies fail for autistic people, and what actually works when it comes to productivity in Autistic Culture. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: Why autistic brains resist synaptic pruning, making unconscious habits nearly im...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast , hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP take listeners on a virtual culture trip into the intersections of autism, sex, gender, and sexuality. This episode spotlights the life and work of Alfred Kinsey, the ground-breaking scientist who transformed how society understands human sexuality. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: Why Alfred Kinsey’s autistic trai...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast , hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP dive into the life and legacy of Andy Warhol, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, exploring his story through the lens of Autistic culture. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: The Autistic traits visible in Warhol’s life—monotropic focus, echolalia in interviews, sensory differences with food, dys...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast , hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP dive into the timeless world of chess—a game woven deeply into Autistic culture. Through the story of legendary chess player Bobby Fischer and the Netflix hit The Queen’s Gambit, the hosts explore why this game resonates so strongly with the Autistic community. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: Why chess belongs alo...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast , hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP dive into the fascinating world of musician, producer, historian, and DJ Questlove (Amir Khalib Thompson)—who briefly revealed his childhood autism diagnosis in his 2013 memoir. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: Questlove’s childhood special interests in Soul Train and Black music history, plus his soothing * stim o...

In this episode of Autistic Culture, hosts Dr. Angela Lauria and Matt Lowry, LPP, explore the life and legacy of Temple Grandin—the first widely recognized autistic celebrity. While Grandin indelibly changed how America thinks about autism, her prominence also raises deep and complex issues within Autistic culture. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: Temple’s childhood diagnosis of “brain damage” in the 1950s a...

If you’ve been asking yourself, “Am I Autistic?” and searching “Autism checklist” or “Autism quiz” , Matt and Angela invite you on a virtual culture trip to Autistica —where the best way to know if you belong is to explore our culture itself. 🎧 What You’ll Learn The six cultural dimensions – How Hofstede’s framework applies to Autistic Culture, from collectivism to uncertainty avoidance. Autistic...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast , hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP, dig into the rich world of Autistic food culture—exploring safe foods, same foods, and the deep comfort Autistic people find in ritualized eating. 📚 What’s Inside This Episode: How food shapes culture across the world—and how Autistic food culture fits in. The difference between “safe foods” (comfortin...

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, hosts Matt Lowry, LPP and Dr. Angela Kingdon explore Eminem’s potential place in Autistic culture—sparked by a viral meme suggesting the rapper is Autistic. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: How Eminem’s lyrics, including a direct reference to “Asperger’s syndrome,” suggest lived experiences familiar to Autistic people. The Autistic traits visible in his life a...