AUTISTIC Viewpoints⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a new podcast hosted by ⁠⁠Turrell Burgess⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Daria Brown⁠⁠⁠⁠. This episode, they discuss the journey from exclusion to belonging with Dr. Emile Gouws. Emile is the president of the Board of Directors of the International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL.com) and was non speaking until the age of 15. He now is in his early 30s, has a PhD, and is happily married to an Autistic woman.

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/autistic-viewpoints/⁠⁠

Timestamps:

00:00 Introductions

01:31 On becoming the board president of ICDL

04:17 On parents believing in their children

08:25 Future unknowns about as a parent of a child with high support needs

12:52 Connecting with an Autistic individual, alternative communication methods, and presuming competence

16:12 How parents can tell the difference between alternative ways of communicating being a response to the environment versus initiation of communication

23:18 Emile's experiences in educational settings and the emotional pain of being underestimated

29:47 Autistic trauma and suicidality

33:03 Turrell's reactions to being misunderstood

34:40 We are different, but share the same negative experiences and emotional labour as Autistic individuals

36:55 The Autistic female experience

43:06 The most rewarding part of Autism advocacy

48:00 Wrap Up

Links to Resources:

The International Council on Development and Learning

⁠https://www.icdl.com/about/board⁠

Affect Autism podcast episodes with Emile:

• A Self-Advocate’s Inspiring Journey ⁠https://affectautism.com/2021/02/06/inspiration/⁠
• Examining the Experience of Autistic Students in Higher Education ⁠https://affectautism.com/2021/06/12/self-advocacy/⁠
• The World’s First International Concert to Celebrate Neurodiversity ⁠https://affectautism.com/2022/05/07/diversity/⁠
• Let’s Talk About Autism Inclusion this April ⁠https://affectautism.com/2025/03/28/april/⁠

* Thank you to Hungarian recording artist Post Analog Disorder for the intro/outro music permission.