In this episode of Autistic Advocacy, Matt and Angela unpack internalized ableism—how it shows up, where it comes from, and how to actively dismantle it as autistic individuals.
🎧 What You’ll Learn
- Masking, burnout & skill regression – How the drive to "prove you're capable" often causes harm rather than growth.
- The social model of disability – Why saying “I’m not disabled” may reflect deep-rooted ableist messaging.
- Constant sensory load – How bottom-up processing and sensory overwhelm intersect with ableist assumptions.
- Burnout vs. laziness – How autistic distress cues are misinterpreted, and the grief of losing skills after major burnout.
- Fear of coming out – The hidden costs of staying in the “neurocloset” and the need for autistic pride.
- Community debates – Functioning labels, HSP rebranding, and the importance of AAC for non-speaking autistics.
Related Episodes:
Bad Autism Diagnosis
Reframing DSM Diagnosis
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