For the first 24 years of her life, content creator Irene Chon had never suspected she might be autistic. Sure, she had had trouble navigating social norms and managing sensory overstimulation, but she accepted these traits as personal faults and continued to trudge through the neurotypical world full speed ahead. When the pandemic hit, the routines and schedules that had kept her afloat began to crumble and so did she … until she stumbled across TikTok videos created by late-diagnosed autistic women that resonated with her experiences.
Host Anita Rao talks with Irene about her journey toward a diagnosis and how having a name for her experience enabled her to reframe her past and craft a more accommodating future. Anita also talks with Kofi Robinson, a Black lawyer and content creator, about navigating work and friendships as an autistic person.
Photographer Jenni Chapman also joins the conversation to talk about navigating romantic relationships and intimacy as a queer, non-binary and autistic person.
Special thanks to Sara and Catherine for sharing their stories with us for this episode.
