4th November 2019
Today I want to blog about a new Youtube Channel called “Autcasts Online” which was started a few weeks back by three women who all work for a company called “Autside Education and Training” who offer a varity of services in terms of Autism awareness and acceptance. The new youtube channel is described as “an Autistic led podcast featuring actually Autistic people talking openly and honestly about issues that affect us”.
The format is simple, the three women, Emma, Hayley and Mair, talk over various subjects related to Autism over a cup of tea/coffee (I am guessing what the beverages are here!). The subjects vary from myth-busting common Autistic misconceptions such as “why people say “You don’t look Autistic?””, eating disorders, masking and functioning labels. The channel is still in its early days but I am sure there will be further topics. So far they have been releasing an approximate ten minute video on a weekly basis, although it is clear that each video is part of a larger filmed video session as each week they seem to follow on from the previous. Which is cool.
The great thing about the videos is that they talk about difficult and sometimes controversial subjects in a balanced, informative way. For example, the conversation in the video about “Functioning labels”, which can be a very difficult topic to discuss as there are many strong opinions online about this subject, is approached on many levels. One of the women talks about how people can make judgements on how they function as an Autistic person, whilst one of her fellow “Autcasters” says that in other situations judgements can be helpful. The point is that all views are discussed in a mature and informative manner. The viewer can then make their own opinions on what they feel is right or wrong.
Similarly, in the video about masking when talking about how women and girls mask their Autism they state “… and some men do…” which whenever I am watching a video about masking I look for. I appreciate that masking is more prominent in women but as an Autistic man who masks regularly, I look for that sentence as it shows true understanding. It is just one of the many reasons demonstrating the quality of the chats.
My only tiny criticism of the videos is that there is no introduction of the women at the start each video. So if you were watching the videos individually out of sequence it feels difficult to know who everybody is. You have to watch from the first video to get their names. I think a short “hello I am Emma/Hayley/Mair and we are actual Autistic women talking about all subjects Autistic” at the start of each video would just help to invite the viewer to watch even more.
Other than that though, I think that the videos are really successful. The format is warm and inviting, the subject matter is informative and interesting, and the presentation is fun and relaxed. I also like the idea of three autistic people presenting a video. For some reason this really works for me (I have even been in a three person video myself with the amazing Purple Ella and her friend Ros – check out her Youtube channel here https://www.youtube.com/user/purplemumify).
I am looking forward to seeing more videos in the future. If you haven’t already checked out “Autcasts Online” then check out the channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfqyfHmto6_Z1s7bT5-D-DAI would highly recommend you do.