In this episode of Autistica, hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP explore the powerful memoirs of two acclaimed autistic comedians: Hannah Gadsby (10 Steps to Nanette) from Tasmania and Fern Brady (Strong Female Character) from Scotland.

🎧 What You’ll Learn

Parallels in Gadsby’s and Brady’s lives, including struggles with misdiagnosis, gender-based violence, homophobia, and ableism.
How both found comedy as a survival mechanism and a path to success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The comedians’ raw honesty about employment struggles, homelessness, and disordered eating—often hidden parts of the autistic experience.
Comedy as both a masking strategy and a tool for truth-telling.
Differences between autistic meltdowns vs. shutdowns, explained through their lived stories.
Why their memoirs are must-reads for anyone seeking neurodiversity-affirming representation.
How Gadsby and Brady reclaim their narratives through radical self-acceptance and creative expression.

Hannah Notes:

Book: 10 Steps to Nanette

Article: Hannah Gadsby's song of the self

Article: Hannah Gadsby Gets the Last Laugh in 10 Steps to Nanette

Fern Notes:

Book: Strong Female Character

Wikipedia: Fern Brady

Related Episodes:

Poetry is Autistic (Emily Dickinson episode)

Greta is Autistic (Greta Thunberg episode)

Bad Autism Diagnosis

🌟 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

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

MM #126: The Economy, Fed Rates, & Unemployment, with Steve Liesman