Bernard Grant first identified as autistic in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2020, at the start of the pandemic, that they finally fully accepted this. Now 35, they are a writer and editor in Cincinnati, Ohio in the United States, where they recently finished a PhD in Creative Writing and Comparative Literature. They are nonbinary and asexual. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Coming to terms with being autistic ➡ Autistic experiences of Covid-19 lockdown ➡ How autism and gender intersect ➡ Academic studies as an autistic person, learning delays and sensory overload ➡ Alexithymia and interoception  ➡ Masking and mirroring Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Bernard’s website (including a brilliant page of autism links and resources): https://bernardgrant.com  Their LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardgrant/  Yenn Purkis: The Autistic Trans Guide to Life Autism, gender and autigender: https://www.queerundefined.com/search/autigender  https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/largest-study-to-date-confirms-overlap-between-autism-and-gender-diversity/  Interoception: https://autismawarenesscentre.com/what-is-interoception-and-how-does-it-impact-autism/  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcM44dFxbyg   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Cat Preston, Corinne Cariad, Elise, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Katherine Lynch, Lea Li, Lilli Simmons, Pete Burke, Sarah Hardy, Vera Cady If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast