An episode that dives deep into the myths of giftedness and “profound autism,” two tropes that lead to bad outcomes for Autistic people.

In Episode 120 of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Matt and Angela dig into the controversial term “profound autism”, exposing how it’s used by the ABA industry to silence autistic voices and push intervention-based funding.

Here’s what’s in store for today’s episode:

* Why “profound autism” isn’t a clinical diagnosis—but a profit-driven label used to gatekeep advocacy and control narratives within the autism community.

* The connection between autism levels, masking, and capitalism, and how financial success is often tied to how well an autistic person can suppress their traits.

* The overlap between giftedness and autism, and how both can increase vulnerability to addiction, substance use, and burnout.

* Why terms like “highly sensitive person” (HSP) and “indigo child” are often coded language for undiagnosed autism, especially in women and AFAB individuals.

* A deep dive into the harm caused by ABA therapy, Autism Speaks, and helicopter parenting, all of which center control rather than autonomy for autistic children.

* Exploring autistic pattern recognition as both a superpower and survival skill, and how it contributes to burnout and sensory overwhelm.

* The concept of the “functional alcoholic” and how gifted, late-diagnosed autistic adults may use substances to manage overload.

* Real-life example: Dan Harmon, creator of Rick and Morty, and how autistic burnout contributed to substance struggles and missed deadlines.

* Reframing outdated “functioning labels” by focusing on masking levels, and why it’s time to reject hierarchies of autistic legitimacy.

“What people don’t understand is that, when it comes to autism, we just have the autism. It might have some comorbid characteristics with other stuff - for instance, ‘profound autism’ might have some intellectual disability. But it doesn’t change the nature of the autism; it just changes the operating system that you’re working with. It changes the hardware that you’re working with.” - Matt Lowry LPP

“You could be gifted, but God forbid the word ‘autistic’ with no qualifiers just comes out of your mouth. I don’t know what happens. I think God throws Zeus a bolt of lightning. Something must happen.” - Dr Angela Kingdon

“I have had periods in my life where I actually thought I must be psychic because these things would happen. I’d be like, ‘my god, I think I’m psychic. And then I realized, ‘shit, I’m just pattern matching.” - Dr Angela Kingdon

Did you enjoy this episode? We explored the controversial label of "profound autism" and how it's used to limit autistic self-advocacy. We also dove into the connection between giftedness and substance abuse, the role of pattern recognition as a survival skill, and the cycle of burnout and underemployment in the autistic community. Plus, we break down the issues with Autism Speaks, the ABA industry, and helicopter autism parents. Tune in and share your thoughts using #AutisticCultureCatch!

Show Notes:

Harmontown Movie -

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