The Yellow Ladybugs Podcast

This episode describes what advocacy really means—especially when it’s led by autistic people with lived experience. Advocacy can take many forms, from speaking up in a classroom to challenging systems that exclude or harm. For autistic girls and gender-diverse young people, advocacy is not just about raising awareness—it’s about being heard, believed, and respected.

We explore how advocacy can be empowering, how it can create change, and how to support young people in finding their voice. 

This episode describes the unique experiences of First Nations autistic girls and gender-diverse young people, and the importance of listening deeply to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices in the autism space. Cultural identity, community connection, and intergenerational knowledge are powerful strengths—but systemic barriers, racism, and a lack of culturally safe support continue to impact too many families.

This conversation centres the lived experience of First Nations people, and highlights the need for culturally informed, neuro-affirming approaches that honour both culture and neurodiversity. 

This episode describes what life feels like through the eyes of autistic girls and gender-diverse young people. Too often, decisions are made about young people without hearing directly from them. In this conversation, we centre their voices—sharing firsthand experiences, insights, and reflections that challenge assumptions and deepen understanding.

Our youth panellists speak openly about what helps, what hurts, and what they wish adults really knew. 

Welcome to Episode 5 of Season 5 of the Yellow Ladybugs Podcast series.

This episode describes how autistic burnout is different from everyday exhaustion—and how it often goes unrecognised in autistic girls and gender-diverse young people. Burnout can build slowly over time, especially when young people are constantly masking, trying to meet expectations, or pushing through overwhelm.

We talk about what burnout really looks like, why it happens, and how we can support recovery and prevention through a more realistic, neuro-affirming approach to self-care. 

Welcome to Episode 4 of Season 5 of the Yellow Ladybugs Podcast series.

This episode describes how autistic pride and emotional wellbeing are closely linked—especially for autistic girls and gender-diverse young people, who often grow up feeling different, misunderstood, or unseen. Without the right support, this can lead to shame, isolation, and poor mental health. But when young people feel affirmed in their identity and connected to community, everything changes.