The Squarepeg Podcast

Yenn Purkis is an inspirational autistic and non-binary author, advocate, public speaker and community leader from Canberra in Australia. They also have a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Their journey has taken them from serving time in prison, poverty and rejecting their autism diagnosis, to self acceptance, advocacy and a successful career. They are the author of nine published books on autism (soon to be ten!), including one for transgender and autistic adults. They are also a public speaker and presented at TEDx Canberra in 2013, and they are active on social media, where they have been sharing a daily meme since 2014. They facilitate a local autism support group which has been running since 2011, and have a number of awards for their work, including the 2019 ACT Chief Minister’s Inclusion Award. In our conversation we talk about  ➡ Coming to terms with an autism diagnosis ➡ Mental health ➡ How writing their story turned their life around ➡ Gender diversity, transphobia, and the crossover of autism and queer identities Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Yenn's website www.yennpurkis.com Their Twitter: https://twitter.com/yennpurkis  FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/yennpurkisbooks/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yennpurkis5/  Their podcast: https://jeanettepurkis.podbean.com Their TedX talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqdGb4TraFk    If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Abigail J Moore, Caroline, Cat Preston, Catrin Green, Corinne Cariad, Elise, Jackie Allen, Karawynn Long, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Katherine Lynch, Laurie Green, Lea Li, Lilli Simmons, Pete Burke and Vera Cady. If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from just £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast 

Becky Beasley is an award winning visual artist, receiving the highest UK award for Visual Arts in the country, a Paul Hamlyn Artists Award, in 2018, and also teaches Fine Art part time at Goldsmiths College. But alongside her career success she has battled with mental health and hormonal problems, prompting her to go on a research journey that ultimately lead to her autism diagnosis in February this year. Becky is in her mid 40s, lives and works in Hastings in the UK and describes herself as a women’s health gap warrior. In our conversation we talk about  ➡ Hormones, female reproductive health and the gender health gap - and how these impact autistic people who menstruate ➡ Mental health and its impact on life and work ➡ Becoming attuned to ourselves, meeting our sensory needs and giving ourselves permission to stim ➡ Gender identity, friendship and finding your tribe   TRIGGER WARNING: Please be aware that there is mention of suicide and suicidal ideation, miscarriage and eating disorders from the start of this episode, so if you don’t want to hear about these topics you might want to give this one a miss. Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Becky's website: www.beckybeasley.com/ Her award: https://www.phf.org.uk/artist/becky-beasley/ More about her art: https://www.plan-b.ro/artist/becky-beasley/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybeasleyuk/ https://www.instagram.com/autist_perimenopause_diary/  https://www.instagram.com/theseaweedshophastings/  Maisie Hill (hormones): https://www.maisiehill.com/  Towards a Profile of Adult Autistic women: https://taniaannmarshall.wordpress.com/2013/03/26/moving-towards-a-female-profile-the-unique-characteristics-abilities-and-talents-of-asperwomen-adult-women-with-asperger-syndrome/    If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Abigail J Moore, Caroline, Cat Preston, Corinne Cariad, Elise, Karawynn Long, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Katherine Lynch, Laurie Green, Lea Li, Lilli Simmons, Pete Burke, Sarah Hardy and Vera Cady. If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from just £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast 

Daisy Shearer is a PhD candidate in experimental condensed matter physics at the University of Surrey in the UK. She is a passionate researcher, science communicator, and educator with a drive to make STEM more accessible and inclusive, focusing on disabled and neurodivergent people. Now 25, she was diagnosed autistic at 21. I discovered her through her very popular Instagram account, Notes from the Physics Lab, where she shares snapshots of quantum tech research life and her work as a semiconductor spintronics researcher. She also has a blog and a YouTube channel, where she talks about physics and autism. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Being openly autistic in STEM ➡ Managing sensory issues that lead to anxiety, meltdown and shutdown ➡ Whether autism is a disability ➡ Reasonable adjustments in academic settings ➡ Making learning and teaching accessible for neurodivergent students, and creating systems for connecting with other neurodiverse people Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Daisy's website: https://www.daisyshearer.com/ Her blog: https://notesfromthephysicslab.com/ Neurodivergent in STEM: https://www.neurodivergentinstem.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notesfromthephysicslab/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/QuantumDaisy   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Caroline, Cat Preston, Corinne Cariad, Elise, Karawynn Long, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Katherine Lynch, Laurie Green, Lea Li, Lilli Simmons, Pete Burke, Sarah Hardy, Vera Cady If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from just £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast

Holly Smale is a multimillion-bestselling and award-winning author of young adult fiction, famous for her Geek Girl and The Valentines series of books. Geek Girl heroine Harriet Manners is a 15 year old, socially awkward girl, and Holly says that it was only after being diagnosed autistic herself at 39 that she realised that her character Harriet is also autistic - and that she had actually been writing about neurodivergence for a decade.  Holly lives in Hove, in East Sussex in the UK. Holly and I talked about all sorts of things, including: ➡ Meltdowns, masking, synaesthesia and dyspraxia ➡ Holly’s childhood memories ➡ Coming out as autistic publicly ➡ Attitudes, misconceptions and gender stereotypes ➡ Undiagnosed intergenerational autism  ➡ Her lifelong special interest in books and writing, autistic characters in books and on screen and writing an autistic character  Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Find Holly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HolSmale  Kieran Rose course: https://theautisticadvocate.com/onlinelearning/  If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Caroline, Cat Preston, Corinne Cariad, Elise, Karawynn Long, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Katherine Lynch, Laurie Green, Lea Li, Lilli Simmons, Pete Burke, Sarah Hardy, Vera Cady If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from just £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast 

Jo Casey is a business coach for quirky, artisanal business owners (think coaches, healers and makers) who want to build a sustainable online business without any shiny, shouty nonsense. Jo is 49, lives in Manchester in the UK and was diagnosed autistic just a few weeks before our conversation, having self identified in February this year - so this is really new territory for her. But she has a really interesting take on autism and how it’s helping shape the online business world. Jo and I met on Twitter and I knew immediately that I wanted to chat with her. As you may know I’m a little bit obsessed with coaches and coaching, I work almost exclusively with coaches in my business, and I’m really interested in online working, self employment and self development. But even if you don’t share my obsession, you’ll find lots to love in this conversation. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Sensory challenges in childhood and adulthood ➡ Workplace challenges for autistic people ➡ Her journey from employee to business owner as an undiagnosed autistic person ➡ Why being autistic makes her good at what she does, and why self employment can be a good fit for us And Jo gives some great advice for autistic people wondering if self employment is a good option for them. Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Jo’s website: www.jocasey.com  Her podcast: https://www.jocasey.com/unshiny-podcast/  Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocaseyb/ Her Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoCaseyB  The TED talk Jo mentions: https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_how_to_start_a_movement   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Caroline, Cat Preston, Corinne Cariad, Elise, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Katherine Lynch, Laurie Green, Lea Li, Lilli Simmons, Pete Burke, Sarah Hardy, Vera Cady If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from just £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast

Wilma Wake was diagnosed autistic in her mid 60s. Now 74, she lives in Maine in the United States, where she is a licenced clinical social worker and retired ordained minister. Despite working with autistic people, she never thought she might be autistic herself until she read a book that changed her life.  She became active in an autistic adults’ peer support group after her diagnosis, and is now co-facilitator of the group. Her social work practice is devoted primarily to working with older autistic adults, neurodiverse couples, and autistic children and their families. She is committed to helping train other service providers to work with autistic adults. She has a doctorate in Feminist-Liberation Theology and and a PhD in Social Foundations of Education, and has recently published a book co-authored with two other autistic adults, Older Autistic Adults in their Own Words: The Lost Generation. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Getting an autism diagnosis later in life ➡ The power of support groups ➡ Being an autistic therapist ➡ The unique experiences of older autistic adults ➡ ‘Coming out’ as autistic - being prepared, and political and social parallels with coming out as LGBT+ Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Wilma's website: http://awakeningswithwake.com/ Wilma's book is 'Older Autistic Adults in their Own Words:  The Lost Generation', by Eric Endlich, Robert S. Lagos and Wilma Wake. Available from all good booksellers. The book that prompted Wilma to seek an autism assessment was Rudy Simone's 'Aspergirls'. AANE (Asperger/Autism Network): https://www.aane.org/  They have a programme for training therapists to do neurodiverse couples therapy and ongoing consultation groups.   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Cat Preston, Corinne Cariad, Elise, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Katherine Lynch, Laurie Green, Lea Li, Lilli Simmons, Pete Burke, Sarah Hardy, Vera Cady If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast 

Luize is self diagnosed. She’s 26 and lives in Latvia, where an autism diagnosis is not available for adults. She briefly studied medicine at university, before switching to Sociology. She has spent time volunteering abroad with animal rights and environmental organisations, where for the first time she felt a sense of belonging, despite the challenges of living and working in a group situation in a different country. While abroad she gradually realised she is autistic. In my conversation with Luize we talk about  ➡ Sensory issues at school and work ➡ Attitudes to autism in her country ➡ Her decision to quit her medical degree ➡ What is was like volunteering abroad, and how it helped her discover her autism ➡ Sustainable activism, burnout, and some of the issues faced by neurodivergent people in volunteer projects Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: https://www.instagram.com/mimijona/ https://www.instagram.com/the.mindful.traveller/   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Cat Preston, Corinne Cariad, Elise, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Katherine Lynch, Laurie Green, Lea Li, Lilli Simmons, Pete Burke, Sarah Hardy, Vera Cady If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast 

Bernard Grant first identified as autistic in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2020, at the start of the pandemic, that they finally fully accepted this. Now 35, they are a writer and editor in Cincinnati, Ohio in the United States, where they recently finished a PhD in Creative Writing and Comparative Literature. They are nonbinary and asexual. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Coming to terms with being autistic ➡ Autistic experiences of Covid-19 lockdown ➡ How autism and gender intersect ➡ Academic studies as an autistic person, learning delays and sensory overload ➡ Alexithymia and interoception  ➡ Masking and mirroring Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Bernard’s website (including a brilliant page of autism links and resources): https://bernardgrant.com  Their LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardgrant/  Yenn Purkis: The Autistic Trans Guide to Life Autism, gender and autigender: https://www.queerundefined.com/search/autigender  https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/largest-study-to-date-confirms-overlap-between-autism-and-gender-diversity/  Interoception: https://autismawarenesscentre.com/what-is-interoception-and-how-does-it-impact-autism/  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcM44dFxbyg   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Cat Preston, Corinne Cariad, Elise, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Katherine Lynch, Lea Li, Lilli Simmons, Pete Burke, Sarah Hardy, Vera Cady If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast 

My guest this week is a 39 year old autistic mum from Cheshire in the UK, who identifies as fitting the PDA profile. She is a certified Forest Bathing Guide and is training to become a Nature Therapy Practitioner.  She believes that nature connection can help Neurodivergent people form a strong personal identity and help combat burnout and overwhelm.  She is also interested in the links between autistic burnout and physical illness, after developing chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and Conversion Disorder, which she herself views through a lens of prolonged autistic catatonia.  She has written for several publications, not just on neurodiversity but also on the environment and climate emergency, and believes that neurodivergents have a key role to play in the protection of humanity and the planet. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Her childhood, and her issues with forming and maintaining friendships ➡ Pathological Demand Avoidance ➡ Autistic women and health, including her own experiences of chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and Conversion Disorder ➡ Our connection to the world, each other and nature ➡ Nature therapy and how being in nature can help neurodivergent people Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: PDA Society website: https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/  Autistic catatonia: https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/catatonia-autism Transition movement - Rob Hopkins - From What Is to What If: https://www.robhopkins.net/the-book/  Polyvagal theory: https://ct.counseling.org/2016/06/polyvagal-theory-practice/  Johann Hari’s TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/johann_hari_everything_you_think_you_know_about_addiction_is_wrong?language=en   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Cat Preston, Corinne Cariad, Elise, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Lea Li, Lilli Simmons, Pete Burke, Sarah Hardy, Vera Cady If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast 

Lottie Jones was diagnosed as a result of her son being identified as autistic PDA in 2018, when he was eight. She is a single parent in her late thirties, and lives in Pembrokeshire in Wales, where she home educates her son, makes macrame and sells vintage items. This conversation came out of a discussion we had on one of my Instagram posts about parenthood and autism, and the particular challenges of being an autistic single parent of an autistic child. In our conversation we talk about  ➡ Her son’s difficulties at school, having to advocate for him, and her decision to take him out of the school system  ➡ The struggles she faced herself when she was at school ➡ Her recent burnout, and the issues at work that fed into it ➡ Being an autistic single parent of an autistic child ➡ The challenges of home educating her son and how they’re navigating it together Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: You can find Lottie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildlingsofwales/ And shop at this week's sponsor, Stimology, here: https://www.stimology.co.uk/discount/SQUARE30  The discount code is SQUARE30   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Cat Preston, Corinne Cariad, Elise, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Lea Li, Lilli Simmons, Pete Burke, Sarah Hardy, Vera Cady If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast