In our fourth episode, we talk with Christine Condo, who runs the blog This Great Ape, and writes for NeuroClastic. She is a late-diagnosed autistic woman living with chronic pain, and writes her blog as a way to process her experiences.

• Websites: ThisGreatApe.com
• Twitter: @ThisGreatApe

0:24 Christine’s diagnosis 1:45 Matt’s diagnosis 2:45 Christine’s early career 4:21 Autistic characteristics and school 5:34 Christine and school 6:31 Work experiences and limitation 7:45 Difficulties in school 9:17 Christine can’t remember faces 10:07 Spiky skills profile 12:33 Alexithymia & visual skills 13:36 Autism obscured 15:47 Pathologizing conditions 16:34 Labels 17:19 High & low-functioning autism 18:57 Savant myth & stereotypes 20:42 Masking 22:03 Autistic burnout 24:03 Socially ostracized 25:55 Great Ape blog excerpt 27:44 Empathy 28:40 Alexithymia & empathy 29:35 Depression, anxiety, PTSD 30:14 Trusting people 32:46 Support from neurodiverse friends 33:09 Trust & manipulation 36:02 Honesty & masking 36:54 Introversion & extraversion 38:16 Neurodiversity movement 39:18 Women on the spectrum 42:30 American Disabilities Act 44:30 Autism & employment 47:10 Double empathy problem 49:44 Parents of autistic children 51:03 Autistics need social connection 52:10 Autistic extravert 53:15 Masking 53:37 Autism paradox 54:38 Accommodations 55:38 High & low-functioning dichotomy 56:58 Sensory sensitivity 58:34 Definitions of intelligence 1:00:06 Labels 1:01:02 Autism experts 1:03:57 Disability model: deficits 1:04:54 Communication and empathy 1:09:29 Direct communication on the job 1:11:38 Dispel stereotypes about autism 1:12:32 Great Ape Blog’s name origins 1:14:47 The autism experience 1:16:51 Where to find Christine 1:18:36 Christine’s Washington Post article