Welcome to The Late Diagnosis Club, a brand new show from the Autistic Culture Podcast Network!

The Late Diagnosis Club is a podcast by and for adults who found they were neurodivergent later-in-life. Hosted by Story Steward Dr. Angela Kingdon, this show features honest conversations with neurodivergent guests navigating the identity shock of late diagnosis or self-identification. Each episode explores neurodivergent traits through a cultural lens, debunks stereotypes, and offers solidarity for those processing family dynamics, unmasking, and reclaiming long-buried SPINs. Whether you’re self-identified or medically diagnosed, this club has been saving you a seat and helps you feel at home in your neurodivergent self.

Autistic Culture is now the Autistic Culture Podcast Network — five shows live, more on the way — all created by and for neurodivergent people.

We’re also launching Autistic Culture Plus on Supercast, where you can listen ad-free, get early access, binge full series, and unlock our exclusive archive of earlier episodes.

Founding Listener Offer:

• Join now for £0.99/month (80% off) and be listed as an Executive Producer on our site and show credits. You’ll keep that price as long as you stay subscribed!
• On 24 Oct, the price moves to £2.50, and on 31 Oct (Halloween) the standard rate begins: £5/month or £50/year.

Included with Autistic Culture Plus:

• Ad-free listening (sensory-friendly)

• Early access to every episode

• Binge-able themed series

• Exclusive archive of ~100 classic episodes

• Executive Producer credit for founding members

Key Dates:

🗓️ Now — Founding offer live (£0.99)

🗓️ 24 Oct — Trailer drops, price rises to £2.50

🗓️ 31 Oct — Virtual Halloween launch + Late Diagnosis Club premiere

🗓️ Jan 2026 — New Autistic Culture series launches (members binge early!)

Current Shows:

• Autistic Culture (OG)
• Autistic Advocacy (OG Fridays)
• Neurodivergent Narrative
• Autistic Culture 101
• Late Diagnosis Club - Interview show launching Halloween

🎉 Join Autistic Culture Plus: autisticculture.supercast.com

🎃 RSVP to the Halloween party: autisticculture.substack.com

📧 Pitch us your show: info@autisticculturepodcast.com

Thanks for supporting independent, neurodivergent-affirming media. We’re saving you a seat. 💜

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

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

We’ve grown into a network! 🎙️

Autistic Culture is now the Autistic Culture Podcast Network — five shows live, more on the way — all created by and for neurodivergent people.

We’re also launching Autistic Culture Plus on Supercast, where you can listen ad-free, get early access, binge full series, and unlock our exclusive archive of earlier episodes.

Founding Listener Offer:

• Join now for £0.99/month (80% off) and be listed as an Executive Producer on our site and show credits. You’ll keep that price as long as you stay subscribed!
• On 24 Oct, the price moves to £2.50, and on 31 Oct (Halloween) the standard rate begins: £5/month or £50/year.

Included with Autistic Culture Plus:

• Ad-free listening (sensory-friendly)

• Early access to every episode

• Binge-able themed series

• Exclusive archive of ~100 classic episodes

• Executive Producer credit for founding members

Key Dates:

🗓️ Now — Founding offer live (£0.99)

🗓️ 24 Oct — Trailer drops, price rises to £2.50

🗓️ 31 Oct — Virtual Halloween launch + Late Diagnosis Club premiere

🗓️ Jan 2026 — New Autistic Culture series launches (members binge early!)

Current Shows:

• Autistic Culture (OG)
• Autistic Advocacy (OG Fridays)
• Neurodivergent Narrative
• Autistic Culture 101
• Late Diagnosis Club - Interview show launching Halloween

🎉 Join Autistic Culture Plus: autisticculture.supercast.com

🎃 RSVP to the Halloween party: autisticculture.substack.com

📧 Pitch us your show: info@autisticculturepodcast.com

Thanks for supporting independent, neurodivergent-affirming media. We’re saving you a seat. 💜

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

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

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Dr. Angela Kingdon is joined by Jude Mills—autistic theologian, interfaith minister, and host of Fkd Up by Faith—for a deep exploration into how cults and extremist religious movements intersect with autistic culture. This isn’t just a trauma story. It’s a culture story.

Together, we unpack how autistic traits like emotional honesty, deep focus, and commitment to logic can draw us into high-demand religious systems—and what it takes to get out.

🎧 What You’ll Learn

• Why autistic people are often drawn into cults—and why we might stay longer than others
• How the very traits that make us vulnerable are also reflected in many cult leaders
• What happens when your SPIN (Special Interest) used to be Jesus, prophecy, or Revelation
• How to mourn or reframe a spiritual system that once gave your life meaning
• Why autistic people may face unique challenges—and strengths—on the journey out
• How leaving isn’t failure. It’s freedom. And it’s a return to self-trust.

🔊 Featuring guest Jude Mills, interfaith minister, spiritual counsellor, and host of Fkd Up By Faith—a podcast exploring healing for those hurt by religion.

🎙️ Listen to Jude's podcast and learn more: fkbupbyfaith.com

Resources:

Richard Turner – UK-based autistic cult recovery counsellor

Ashlen Hilliard – US-based cult recovery advocate

Alexandra Stein and Janja Lalich – researchers and educators on cult dynamics

Related Episodes:

Fighting Internalized Ableism

Academia and Ableism

🌟 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

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

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

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry LPP explore the sharp contrast between two wildly different shows—The Big Bang Theory and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia—and how each one portrays (or distorts) autistic representation.

While one show offers a neurotypical caricature of autistic traits, the other—perhaps unintentionally—captures autistic logic, humor, and integrity with uncanny resonance.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Why The Big Bang Theory fails to reflect lived autistic experience
• How It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia nails autistic communication, scripting, and literalism
• Why rule-breaking humor and social absurdity resonate with autistic brains
• How found family and social misfits mirror real-life neurodivergent community-building
• Why autistic integrity and emotional honesty are key to feeling seen in media
• The difference between being written about vs. being written from inside autistic culture

Related Episodes:

Community is 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

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

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

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry LPP are joined by show producer Simon Scott — stepping in front of the mic to share his lifelong autistic special interest: My Chemical Romance (MCR).

Together, they unpack how the band’s origin story, lyrics, and aesthetic reflect core autistic cultural traits like justice sensitivity, emotional intensity, and creative hyperfocus — and why MCR remains a safe haven for neurodivergent fans decades later.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• How MCR’s themes of social rejection, masking, hyper-empathy, and sensory overload resonate deeply with autistic experiences
• The band’s origin story — born from Gerard Way’s intense emotional processing of 9/11 — as an example of autistic trauma response and urgency
• How recording their debut album in a week showcases autistic hyperfocus and creative intensity
• The narrative arcs in MCR’s albums, exploring identity, grief, burnout, and transformation
• Why “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” became an anthem for misunderstood neurodivergent teens
• How bottom-up processing and the “autistic accent” influence MCR’s lyrical style, delivery, and authenticity
• The neurodivergent-coded subculture that grew around MCR as a form of autistic community-building

🎤 Featured Guest: Simon Scott

Simon Scott is the producer of The Autistic Culture Podcast and co-host of The Neurodivergent Experience Podcast, a passionate advocate for autistic creative expression. His lifelong SPIN (special interest) in Music and My Chemical Romance has informed his work in storytelling, podcasting, and autistic community-building.

Resources:

My Chemical Romance on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Chemical_Romance

Black Parade in Musical Order - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3C9lpecSL1wW8s2X8hRFue?si=467d34e55173494f

Neurodivergent Experience - https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ia5o6nDiR5mgGIXJNtyZ7?si=eecb525303994957

Related Episodes:

Chess is Autistic

Freddie Mercury is 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

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

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

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry LPP celebrate the legendary alt-rock band They Might Be Giants—a group whose quirky, clever, and community-driven music has been unintentionally (or very intentionally) autistic-coded since the early 1980s.

From masking anthems to special-interest deep dives, TMBG has built a decades-long career on lyrical loops, info-dumping, and unapologetic weirdness—making them a perfect example of Pillar 2: Rhythmic Communicating and Pillar 10: Passionate Superfanning.

🎧 What You’ll Learn

• How They Might Be Giants began in 1982 with their cult-classic Dial-A-Song hotline and a fiercely independent, fan-supported model
• Why an estimated 90% of their fan base identifies as unapologetically autistic
• John Linnell’s open identification as autistic and the band’s neurodivergent creative process
• Autistic themes in TMBG lyrics:
• “Upside Down Frown” → masking and emotional labour
• “Dr. Worm” → special interest anthem
• Rejection sensitivity, burnout, and pattern recognition woven into storytelling
• How songs like Istanbul (Not Constantinople) showcase autistic hyperfocus, educational infodumps, and joyful pattern play
• Why their fan club structure fosters authentic autistic community and belonging
• The sensory and lyrical precision that makes TMBG an autistic cultural touchstone
• 
  

Resources

• Angela’s “TMBG is Autistic” Companion Playlist
• Musical References of TMBG
• Stuff is the Way
• Favourite TMBG Lyrics – 🔗 Read the discussion on Reddit
• Best They Might Be Giants Songs – 🔗 Check out the list on BuzzFeed
• Bonus Artist: Moon Hooch – Looking for more neurodivergent-friendly music? Check out Moon Hooch🔗 Visit moonhooch.com

🌟 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

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

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

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Matt and Angela are joined by Shakespeare scholar Dr. Sonya Freeman Loftis to explore how Shakespeare’s plays connect with autistic experiences—from emotional intensity to characters whose traits feel deeply neurodivergent.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Autistic-coded heroes – How characters like Hamlet, Coriolanus, Othello, and King Lear embody autistic themes such as moral intensity, social disconnect, and emotional overload.
• Disability lens on the Bard – Dr. Loftis shares her journey into studying Shakespeare through a disability perspective, and the rise of autism-friendly and relaxed performances at venues like The Globe.
• Bottom-up processing & inertia – Why lines like “To be or not to be” can feel like expressions of autistic inertia, and how Shakespeare’s language structure invites bottom-up processing that resonates with neurodivergent minds.
• Otherness & ableism – How portrayals of “the outsider” in Shakespeare’s works reflect societal treatment of autistic people, and where ableist framing still appears.
• Shakespeare as therapy – From prison programs to elder care, and even modern neurodivergent Shakespeare meetups, his works offer catharsis and connection.
• Was Shakespeare neurodivergent? – Considering his prolific, atypical perspective on language and emotion as possible indicators of neurodivergence.

Featured Guest: Dr. Sonya Freeman Loftis

Dr. Sonya Freeman Loftis is a Shakespeare scholar, disability studies researcher, and author whose work explores how literature intersects with neurodivergence and lived experience.

🔗 Explore Dr. Loftis’s Academic Profile on Academia.edu

📖 William Shakespeare Was on the Autism Spectrum (Asperger’s Syndrome) – Read on ResearchGate

Related Episodes:

Questlove is Autistic

Eminem is 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

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

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

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Matt and Angela are joined by stand-up comedian and podcast host Abigoliah Schamaun to explore why expat life might just be peak autistic behaviour. From cultural clashes to the comedy stage, Abigoliah’s journey offers insight, laughs, and plenty of neurodivergent real talk.

🎧 What You’ll Learn

1️⃣ Expat Life as a Neurodivergent Adventure

• Why Angela calls being an expat “autism with extra passport stamps.”
• Navigating national identity, cultural differences, and reinvention.
• The joys and challenges of moving between the US and UK.

2️⃣ Comedy, Creativity & Burnout

• Abigoliah’s rise from Ohio to NYC to the UK comedy scene.
• The overlap between neurodivergence and stand-up comedy.
• How burnout affects creative output and content creation.

3️⃣ Cross-Cultural Neurodivergence

• Differences in how autism and ADHD are perceived in the US vs. the UK.
• Healthcare, safety, and societal norms across the pond.
• How cultural context changes the way neurodivergence is experienced.

4️⃣ Post-Diagnosis Clarity & Self-Grace

• The relief and self-compassion that comes with an ADHD diagnosis.
• Strategies for navigating burnout without guilt.
• Why slowing down can be the key to long-term sustainability.

About Abigoliah Schamaun

Abigoliah Schamaun is a New York comedian, actor, and writer whose charisma and sharp comedic skill have taken her from Ohio to NYC to the UK stage. A finalist in the Funny Women Awards, she’s one of the top female headliners on the UK comedy scene. On TikTok, her stand-up and comedy cooking clips have amassed over 10 million views.

She co-hosts the Neurodivergent Moments Podcast with Joe Wells and is open about her life with ADHD, sharing honest and hilarious perspectives on neurodivergence.

Resources:

🎧 Listen to Neurodivergent Moments Podcast shows.acast.com/neurodivergent-moments

💖 Support their Show on Patreon patreon.com/neurodivergentmomentspod

📱 Follow Abigoliah Everywhere @abigoliah on all social media platforms

Related Episodes:

Comedy is 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

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

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