154 [S11 E9] Finding a really cool rock: figuring out life and work without an 'autistic starter pack'

Phoebe Taylor is a Canadian writer and artist whose work attempts to translate the experience of autism from the inside out. 'Fired from every job she ever had', she decided to explore self employment during the pandemic. Now 32, she was formally identified as autistic a couple of years ago, and has spent the last few years figuring out how to make a life that works better for her.

Phoebe was a shortlisted finalist in the 2024 Grit List Festival for her essays on the interior experience of autism, and is currently writing about autism, feminism and disability and working on a collection of essays that explores the tensions between these marginalised identities and white privilege.

She is also the co-founder and Creative Director of Do You Ever Media, a space and community giving artists and creatives the confidence to tell their story. She manages and coaches artists to bring their visions to life, and to produce and market their art.

In our conversation Phoebe talks about still feeling like a 'baby autistic', returning to herself since diagnosis, and her grief over the person 'that she thought she could be'. She shares her experience of meltdowns, being an extroverted autistic person, dealing with healthcare gatekeepers, and what happened when she 'came out' as autistic to family and friends. And she talks about autistic employment, her checkered history of being employed, and the pros and cons of being self employed as an autistic person - and why she made that choice.

Squarepeg is a podcast in which I talk to other late identified autistic women and nonbinary people about their lives, their autism journeys, and what they've learned along the way.

I'm Amy Richards, and I was diagnosed autistic in 2016, when I was 37. I've been sharing my conversations with other autistic adults since 2020.

I hope you'll find these conversations inspiring and thought provoking, and that they'll help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences.

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A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast:

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