An episode that welcomes you to a brand-new chapter in this project - one that has been years in the making!

In Episode 131 of The Autistic Culture Podcast, we are revisiting the 10 Pillars of Autistic Culture! What you’re about to hear is a special remastered version of an earlier episode that introduced the 10 Pillars of Autistic Culture, plus updated context and reflections from me about what it means in this new chapter. These are the building blocks of everything we’re creating together going forward.

This episode originally aired in January 2024, and since this episode first aired, I’ve taken a deeper look at the structure of the show and the framework we use to understand autistic culture.

I’ve refined the 10 Pillars updating their names, sharpening the descriptions, and better connecting them to our lived traits, like sensory processing differences, stimming, emotional intensity, and our beautiful SPINs.

What you’ll hear in this episode is the heart of the work but think of it as the “draft” version.

Over the next 10 weeks, I’ll be highlighting one updated pillar each week with a replay of an episode that really brings that theme to life. I’ll also share new context and reflections to go deeper. We'll unpack what each one means, how it shows up in our lives, and why it’s worth celebrating.

But I wanted to bring you this episode just as it aired because even though things have changed, this conversation holds so many gems, and it was a joyful reflection of where we were. And now, we get to go even deeper.

Lets quickly walk you through what those 10 pillars are now. You might notice a few name changes:

* Bottom-Up Processing (formerly “Logic and Strategy”)We build understanding from the ground up detail by detail, pattern by pattern. Think Sherlock Holmes, chess masters, scientific discovery.

* Rhythmic Communicating (formerly “Linguistics and Accents”)Our conversations are musical echolalia, scripting, tangents, infodumps. There’s a beat, a flow, a poetry to how we speak.

* Norm Challenging (formerly “Deep Thinking and Insights”)We question assumptions. We live authentically. We honor truth over politeness, equity over hierarchy, and insight over illusion.

* World BuildingWe don’t just tell stories we create entire universes. Pokémon. Star Wars. Dungeons & Dragons. Autistic imagination builds the future.

* Pattern Matching (formerly “Data Gathering and Analysis”)SPINs. Trivia nights. Wikipedia editing. Sexuality research. We find the signal in the noise and bring meaning to the chaos.

* Game Changing (formerly “Innovative Ideas”)We’re not following trends we’re starting them. We rethink, reinvent, and rebuild systems from the ground up. Think Steve Jobs. Questlove. Muybridge.

* Boldly Creating (formerly “Artistic Expression”)We paint with stims. We sing in scripts. We dance in sensory rhythm. Our creativity is intense, embodied, and often unconventional.

* Predictably Comforting (formerly “Consistency and Reliability”)Repetition, routines, safe foods, rituals. These aren’t rigidity they’re anchors. Comfort. Stability. Power.

* Justice Seeking (formerly “Justice and Honesty”)Fairness isn’t optional it’s essential. Emotional intensity meets ethical clarity. From Greta Thunberg to John McEnroe we stand for truth.

* Passionate Superfanning (formerly “Superfanning and Fictional Friends”)Star Trek. Doctor Who. My Little Pony. Our love runs deep and our joy is contagious. Fandom is family. Lore is love.

These 10 pillars map across three major domains of life:🎭 Arts & Entertainment🪴 Lifestyle & Leisure🏛️ Society, Values & Knowledge

And across all of them, we’ll be celebrating the best of Autistic Culture through history, pop culture, storytelling, and personal experience.

So whether you’re autistic, exploring the possibility, or just someone who loves and respects autistic people you are welcome here.

You are part of Autistica!

Did you enjoy this episode? We talk about the 10 pillars of Autistic Culture — from Bottom-Up Processing and World Building to Justice Seekin! And over this series, we’ll be celebrating the best of Autistic Culture through history, pop culture, storytelling, and personal experience! Join the convo with #AutisticCultureCatch!

Related Episodes:

Autistic Culture for Teens and Tweens

My Chemical Romance is Autistic

Taylor Swift is Autistic

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