151 [S11 E6] The same type of different: autistic identity, South Asian stories and the model minority myth

Mrinal Gokhale is an author, writer, and speaker based in Wisconsin in the United States, passionate about all things psychology and wellness. Since becoming an author, Mrinal has written for and collaborated with platforms to discuss South Asian and Asian American mental health. She has a Bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Now 35, Mrinal is the author of two books, the latest of which, Taboo: South Asian Mental Health Stories, is a collection of lived experience accounts from people of South Asian descent about navigating mental illness, neurodivergence, identity, culture, sexuality, trauma, and other topics often considered taboo in South Asian communities.

In our conversation Mrinal shares how finding neurodivergent community has reshaped her sense of self, belonging, and work. She talks about navigating neurodivergence within South Asian culture, the weight of the model minority myth, and growing up under straight‑A, STEM‑focused parental expectations, when her strengths lay in reading, writing, and storytelling.

We explore her move from permanent roles into contracting, what kinds of workplaces and team structures best support her autistic needs, and why self‑employment isn't automatically a better option for us. Mrinal also describes her experience of having EMDR therapy to process years of bullying and undiagnosed autism, and the positive outcomes this has had for her.

I first talked with Mrinal in Season 2 of Squarepeg.

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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EPISODE LINKS:

Mrinal's links page: http://linktr.ee/mgokhale

Mrinal's original SquarePeg episode (Episode 17 - S2 E5): https://squarepeg.community/17-s2-ep5-getting-the-skills-and-support-to-navigate-life-and-work/

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/

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

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