The AutSide Podcast

“Today’s episode advocates for the establishment of Critical Autism Studies as a necessary challenge to prevailing power structures and societal norms surrounding autism. It argues that current narratives are often sanitised and controlled by non-autistic voices, neglecting the complex realities and truth-telling of autistic individuals. Drawing a parallel to historical oppressions, the author of...

“Today’s episode presents a reflective journey into creating a math textbook, “The Story of Math,” which aims to be inclusive and accessible, particularly for neurodivergent students and multilingual learners. Inspired by the historical work of al-Khwārizmī and his rhetorical algebra, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks seeks to reclaim mathematics as a human endeavour rooted in story, clarity, and cultural conne...

“Today’s episode is an analysis of a personal essay from Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, who identifies as a descendant of those impacted by the so-called Highland Clearances and also as neurodivergent and trans. Dr. Hoerricks critiques the celebration of Tartan Day in the United States, arguing that it promotes a sanitised version of Scottish heritage that ignores the forced displacement, cultural erasure,...

“Today’s episode describes the experience of being digitally silenced when a heartfelt post about autism, gender fluidity, and identity was deemed ineligible for boosting by social media algorithms. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, introduces the concept of the “digital oubliette,” a space where marginalised voices, particularly those at the intersection of autistic, trans, a...

“Today’s episode explores the act of misgendering not as a mistake but as a deliberate refusal rooted in systemic beliefs. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, argues that this refusal, often seen in the rejection of chosen names and pronouns, stems from a fixed understanding of gender influenced by theological concepts like Calvinism and reinforced by societal structures and lan...

“Today’s episode explores the significant mental health challenges faced by autistic individuals who are also transgender or gender-diverse. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, introduces the concept of “double masking,” where individuals camouflage both their neurodivergence and gender identity to navigate a hostile world. Dr. Hoerricks argues that this constant suppression of...

“In today’s episode, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks explores the connection between diet and health, particularly for autistic people and those undergoing HRT. One article focuses on histamine intolerance as a potential cause of “picky eating” in autistic individuals, detailing a personal experience and a restrictive, high-fat, low-carb, histamine-free diet that improved health after traditional medical appr...

“Today’s episode critiques the widespread use of ‘script fading’ within Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for autistic individuals, arguing that it misunderstands and suppresses a valid form of communication known as scripting, particularly common in gestalt language processors. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, contends that ABA incorrectly treats scripting as a problematic beh...

“Today’s episode critiques a 2025 ABA study targeting autistic toddlers, arguing it dangerously disregards their communication rights and lived experiences. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, contends the study, which aims to reduce “challenging behaviors” through the Terminal Probe method, fails to consider the communicative intent behind these actions and lacks appropriate co...

“Today’s episode employs the metaphor of the three-body problem in astrophysics to illuminate the lived experiences of the author of the source article. The author, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, uses this unsolvable chaotic system to represent the complexities of navigating autism, transness, and chronic illness. Rather than viewing these aspects as isolated issues to be solved, Dr. Hoerricks portrays them...

“Today’s episode explores the frequent misinterpretation of autistic emotions. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, uses rich sensory metaphors, drawn from wine tasting, to illustrate the nuanced inner states often labeled as simple negativity or misbehavior by others. They critique societal and institutional tendencies to flatten complex autistic experiences into observable beha...

“Today’s episode argues that recent budget cuts to the U.S. Department of Education are not simply about finances but represent a deliberate effort to control the narrative around education. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, contends that these cuts strategically dismantle oversight bodies, eliminate data collection on equity, and silence discussions about technology's role in...

“Today’s episode explores a personal reflection that examines the shortcomings of traditional psychoanalysis in understanding and supporting autistic individuals, particularly those who are gestalt language processors. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, drawing from their own experiences, translates and critiques a psychoanalytic paper, highlighting how standard therapeutic app...

“Today’s episode explores how the requirement of visible "impairment" in autism diagnostic criteria leads to the systematic exclusion of high-masking autistic girls of color. These girls are often misread as simply "resilient" due to their ability to cope and comply, a skill developed for survival in environments marked by systemic bias. Their internal struggles and the effort of masking are overl...

“Today’s episode critiques the prevalent idea that education is inherently “relationship-centered,” arguing that this concept often masks systemic exclusions and places blame on individuals rather than flawed structures. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, drawing from personal experiences as an autistic individual, highlights how superficial emphasis on connection can be partic...

“Today’s episode critically examines the historical and persistent exclusion of trans women from autism discourse, arguing that the current understanding of autism is rooted in gender essentialism and a rigid binary worldview that has marginalised many, including trans individuals. It traces the origins of autism research, highlighting the overlooked work of Dr. Grunya Sukhareva and contrasting it...

“Today’s episode explores the author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks’ experiences within teacher professional development systems, revealing an underlying emphasis on compliance and standardisation over genuine growth and teacher agency. Dr. Hoerricks critiques how these systems often treat educators as passive recipients rather than valuable sources of knowledge and innovation. Feeling...

“Today’s episode explores the unexpected emergence of personal goals through the lens of neuroqueerness and medical transition. Challenging conventional notions of outward-facing achievements, the author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, articulates how transition facilitated an inward journey towards authentic selfhood and a recognition of pre-existing, internal ‘goals’ rooted in poetry...

“Today’s episode argues that economic tactics used by the United States to exploit post-Soviet Eastern Bloc countries are now being employed domestically in the Global North. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, contends that events like the collapse of the USSR were opportunities for Western elites to refine methods of “looting” through ‘shock therapy’ and privatisation. This an...

“Today’s episode reflects on the intrinsic joy of learning, contrasting it with a purely rational, utilitarian view of knowledge. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, critiques the notion that AI can replace genuine learning and thinking, emphasising the importance of content knowledge as a foundation for critical thought. Dr. Hoerricks then explores alternative “autistic ways of...

“Today’s episode is based upon an article by Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, a former forensic scientist and current teacher, who argues that the term “evidence-based” in education is often misused and fails to meet the standards of real science. Dr. Hoerricks draws parallels between the misuse of scientific evidence in courtrooms and the current educational landscape, where interventions and curricula are b...

“Today’s episode argues that the US CDC’s renewed investigation into the so-called vaccine-autism link echoes historical eugenics by suggesting autistic lives are undesirable and preventable. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, contends that this revival of debunked science, fueled by societal beliefs and institutional power, mirrors the dangerous ideology of programs like Aktio...

“Dr. Jaime Hoerricks’s “Blast Radius: Epicentre of a Thousand Memories” explores the profound impact of a simple online meme, which triggered a flood of lifelong memories of feeling unchosen as an autistic, trans, and queer individual. This experience led to the creation of the poem “Unchosen,” a powerful expression of defiance and self-acceptance. Dr. Hoerricks reflects on past experiences of not...

“Today’s episode argues that the current mental health system under capitalism is fundamentally designed for control and compliance, not genuine care, particularly for neurodivergent individuals. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, contends that traditional therapeutic models pathologise neurodivergence and aim to regulate individuals into societal norms to maintain productivity...

“Today’s episode critically examines contemporary shifts in public education within the United States, arguing that policies are increasingly driven by an authoritarian logic of sorting and exclusion rather than principles of equity and collective uplift. Drawing parallels with historical instances of dehumanisation, the author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, contends that standardised...