Academia and Ableism (Episode 96)

An episode that schools you!

In Episode 96 of The Autistic Culture Podcast, we tackle a complex subject: ableism and its manifestation within the world of academia. With Guest Kat Flora, we delve into our experiences of navigating difficult interactions with neurotypicals in academia, as well as managing the challenges of burnout.

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

* We address a critical issue: the importance of autistic individuals being present in these spaces to drive change from within, while also emphasizing the need for self-care to avoid burnout.

* The conversation transitions to addiction and alcoholism, exploring how autistic individuals may be more predisposed to these challenges.

* Autistic individuals in academia often encounter triggering challenges, such as being required to study behaviorism, which is inherently harmful to autistic people, and feeling pressured to agree with neurotypical misconceptions about autism just to secure a passing grade.

* Matt, Angela, and Kat discuss the dehumanizing experience of being autistic in a classroom where the information taught about autism often misrepresents or contradicts their lived experiences.

* Our hosts explore strategies for overcoming academic gatekeepers and navigating barriers to create meaningful change within academia.

* We discuss the current state of disability services at universities, highlighting the gaps and areas that need improvement to better support autistic and disabled students in their academic journeys.

“In order to become a person who diagnoses autism, if you are autistic, you have to take a whole bunch of classes where you learn a whole bunch of things that are not true about yourself by people who know a lot less and not kill them or end up in jail.” - Dr Angela Kingdon

“So this is the thing. Number one, people who come into academia, people who want to do this job are taught wrong. Number two, if you are an autistic person who is doing this, you either have to eat a lot of shit and say yes, I am a malformed human, or - you argue with people, and people don’t like to be argued with.” - Matt Lowry LPP

“In order to change a system, you have to be conforming enough for the gatekeepers to look you over and let you in. And then you can fuck shit up.” - Matt Lowry LPP

In this episode, we dive into the pervasive issue of ableism in academia. From the challenges of navigating inaccurate teachings about autism to the dehumanizing impact of neurotypical misconceptions, we discuss the struggles autistic individuals face in these spaces. We also explore the importance of self-care, avoiding burnout, and how autistic people can create change from within academic institutions. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments, and join the conversation using #AutisticCultureCatch on social media. What resonated with you in this discussion? Let us know!

Show Notes:https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.727542/full https://a.co/d/gfur0Rn - The Autistic Postgraduate Woman: Navigating the Neurotypical University Paperback – Sophie Pillips

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Rite_of_Ascension Kat Flora on Instagram (www.Instagram.com/kat__flora)

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