In this episode of Autistic Advocacy, hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry are joined by filmmaker and autistic advocate Bret Malley to discuss the common experience of parents realizing their own autism after their child's diagnosis.

🎧 What You’ll Learn

• Bret shares his personal story of how his son's struggle and evaluation for autism opened his eyes to recognizing his own autistic traits, leading to his own diagnosis as an adult.
• The discussion explores both the useful aspects of an official autism diagnosis, as well as the downsides of medicalization and pathologization of natural neurodiversity.
• The hosts propose that autism is best understood as a shared cultural identity that people can recognize and self-identify with, rather than requiring a formal diagnosis.
• They envision a future where self-identification based on connecting with autistic cultural experiences can be enough to access accommodations and supports, without the need for an official diagnosis.
• Bret introduces his upcoming documentary film, The Divergent Gift: Unboxing Autism, which aims to challenge stereotypes and highlight the gifts and challenges of being autistic in an allistic-centric society.

👤 Guest Bio

Bret Malley (he/him) is an autistic filmmaker, educator, and advocate whose work centres around challenging stereotypes and uplifting neurodivergent voices. His upcoming documentary, The Divergent Gift: Unboxing Autism, explores the complexity of autistic identity while highlighting the strengths, creativity, and challenges of living in a neurotypical-centred society. As both a parent of an autistic child and an autistic adult, Bret brings a deeply personal and multifaceted perspective to his advocacy.

Resources:

• 🎬 Pitch-trailer for The Divergent Gift; Unboxing Autism 
• 🌐 The Divergent Gift website
• 🌐 Bret’s website
• 🎶 Harry Chapin – Flowers are Red 
• 🎶 Malvina Reynolds – Little Boxes (performed by The Womenfolk)
• 📖 Joe James – The Autistic Experience: Silenced Voices Finally Heard

Related Episodes:

Poetry is Autistic

Questlove is Autistic

Trains are Autistic

🌟 Connect With Us

📱 Follow us on Instagram

🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop

🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com

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