Autistic Culture | Where Autism Meets Identity! Autistic Advocacy: Reframing DSM Autism Criteria
In this episode of Autistic Advocacy, Matt and Angela take on audience requests to break down the problematic and often misleading language of the DSM-5. They unpack how the manual pathologizes autism, overlooks key realities like proprioceptive challenges and co-occurring conditions, and frames autistic traits through a strictly neurotypical viewpoint. From dismantling ableist IQ testing to reframing so-called "deficits" as differences, this episode invites listeners to see autism for what it truly is—a rich, diverse neurotype, not a disorder to be “fixed.”
🎧 What You’ll Learn
- How the DSM-5 pathologizes autism and centres neurotypical perspectives.
- Why IQ tests are ableist and shouldn’t define diagnosis or worth.
- The truth about autistic “social deficits” and why they’re actually social differences.
- Why the DSM’s claim that autistic people “lack imagination” is deeply flawed.
- How SPINs (Special Interests) bring joy, fulfilment, and expertise—and why the DSM mislabels them.
- Why routines and stimming are powerful tools for autistic regulation.
- The overlooked sensory and proprioceptive realities of autistic life.
- How autism’s hereditary nature and medical overlaps (like POTS, PMDD, and endometriosis) are often ignored in clinical descriptions.
Resources:
https://www.mattlowrylpp.com/blog/reframing-dsm-autism-criteria
https://www.mattlowrylpp.com/meme-gallery
Related Episodes:
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