Episode 409: Vision First, Language After—Autistic Praxis
Today’s episode explores the journey of self-discovery and embodiment as an Autistic trans woman. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, describes her creative process, which is Gestalt-based—beginning with atmosphere and feeling (”vision first”) before language or conventional design (”language after”). Dr. Hoerricks details the process of using an AI rendering tool, Sora, as a gentle scaffolding to accurately visualise a graduation dress that aligns with her emerging femme identity and her tall, strong body, which is unrepresented in mainstream fashion. This rendering process is presented as an act of autonomy and precision, a method for building a self without asking permission, ultimately leading to a sense of quiet arrival and congruence as she prepares to wear the dress for a significant event. She emphasises that the dress represents access and embodiment, not performance or costume, and reflects a life finally lived with intention and clarity.Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/vision-first-language-after-rendering where you can see the dress.Let me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Get full access to The AutSide at autside.substack.com/subscribe
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Episode 408: Two Roads—Listening and Categorising Autistic Life
Today’s episode presents a critical comparison between two distinct approaches to autism research, symbolised by two institutions located near Cambridge, England. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, contrasts the GRRAND study, which is highlighted for its collaborative methodology, prioritising the voices of neurodivergent adolescents to understand emotional life and regulation within the context of their environment and relationships. This is set against the legacy of the Autism Research Centre (ARC) and its associated theories—such as Theory of Mind and Extreme Male Brain—which Dr. Hoerricks argues historically framed autistic people as deficits to be measured, categorised, and corrected from an external perspective. The core argument is that the future of autism research must pivot away from models focused on “decoding” or “normalising” autistic behaviour and toward partnership models that treat autistic individuals as “epistemic agents”—knowers whose lived experience is central to defining what autism is and what support truly entails. She emphasises that research findings are consequential, shaping everything from educational plans to therapeutic practices, and that a focus on dignity, autonomy, and context is necessary to replace outdated, behaviourist-aligned frameworks.Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/two-roads-through-the-same-countrysideLet me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Get full access to The AutSide at autside.substack.com/subscribe
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Episode 407: Becoming Whole—Poetic Language, Gender, and Neurodivergence
Today’s episode traces a journey of self-discovery at the intersection of gender identity (transfemme), neurodivergence (AuDHD), and language processing (GLP). The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, details her struggle with academic language and traditional therapy, which demanded linear thought, arguing that her natural poetic and metaphorical language was initially pathologised as deficient but was actually her authentic “first language.” Dr. Hoerricks contrasts the “dead language” of analytic tradition, which she asserts was born from Freud’s betrayal of trauma survivors, with the “embodied tongue” of poetic language, citing Hans Jörg Stahlschmidt’s 2024 work on its relevance to psychotherapy. Ultimately, she concludes that embracing her authentic, nonlinear syntax allowed her to become whole, finding healing not through correction or analysis, but through the aliveness and coherence of her own poetic expression.Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/i-didnt-hate-being-himbut-im-lovingLet me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Get full access to The AutSide at autside.substack.com/subscribe
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Episode 406: Published Is Published—Citation Politics and Visible Evidence
Today’s episode reflects on the politics of recognition within academic research, particularly concerning practitioner-led work on gestalt language processing. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, details an email from Marge Blanc, originator of the Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) framework, who clarified that the longitudinal research Dr. Hoerricks presented as hypothetical in a previous article had already been completed and published. The core argument centres on the idea that this robust evidence, though meticulously documented through the observation of eighty-five children, remains invisible to the academic “empire” because it was published in accessible formats like parent magazines, rather than exclusive peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Hoerricks asserts that the legitimacy of evidence should be based on its reliability, reproducibility, and demonstrable practice, as is the standard in fields like forensic science, rather than being determined solely by the prestige or venue of publication. Ultimately, she argues that “Published is published,” emphasising that Blanc’s work has achieved validity through its widespread, consistent application in clinical practice, even without formal institutional indexing.Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/published-is-published-on-the-visibilityLet me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Get full access to The AutSide at autside.substack.com/subscribe
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Episode 405: Autism—Cause, Control, and the Theology of Erasure
Today’s episode offers a critical examination of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Autism Data Science Initiative (ADSI). The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, argues that the search for the “cause” of autism, particularly through large-scale data science and genetic research, is not a benign quest for understanding but a continuation of historical practices aimed at erasing difference by making autism “optional.” Dr. Hoerricks draws parallels between the language of modern scientific pursuit—such as “burden reduction” and “prevention”—and the terminology used in historical eugenics movements like Aktion T4, asserting that the goal remains one of “perfection” through the elimination of variance. Ultimately, she portrays the ADSI as a system that prioritises quantification and control over the inherent value and “resistance of being” of autistic people.Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/autism-to-know-the-cause-is-to-makeLet me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Get full access to The AutSide at autside.substack.com/subscribe
AutSide: A podcast from an autistic trans woman that explores critical issues at the intersection of autism, neurodiversity, gender, and social justice. Dive deep into the realities of living as an autistic adult, critiques of education systems, and the power of storytelling to reshape public narratives. With a unique blend of snark, sharp analysis, and personal experience, each episode challenges societal norms, from the failures of standardized testing to the complexities of identity and revolution. Join the conversation on AutSide, where lived experience and critical theory meet for change. autside.substack.com
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