Grace Tame‘s new ABC mini-podcast about autism has kicked off the latest culture war in this country, with some of the ABC’s most recognisable talent weighing in and media execs relishing the opportunity to rile up the public for ad revenue.
Tame’s show, Autistic AF with Grace Tame, dropped this week under the ABC’s Ladies, We Need To Talk banner. The four-part series focuses on the lived experience of autistic women and gender-diverse people, drawing on Tame’s own diagnosis and advocacy.
But the rollout hasn’t been smooth.
Why Grace Tame’s podcast is attracting backlash
Yesterday, the ABC announced Autistic AF with Grace Tame, with the author and former Australian of the Year talking about her experiences of autism, being misdiagnosed with anorexia, and the rising rate of women being diagnosed later in life.
“Like too many fellow autistic women and gender diverse people, I’ve spent most of my life trying to fit into an often-unwelcoming world that I don’t fully understand,” Tame said in a statement. “That is why I am thrilled to be working on this miniseries about women and girls’ unique experiences of autism, which until recently didn’t even feature in research, let alone the public discourse. I hope it opens hearts and minds, breaks down barriers, answers questions, provokes curiosity, and resonates with autistic and neurotypical listeners alike.”
The series — which also hears from people like Heartbreak High star Chloé Hayden, Yumi Stynes and The Assembly‘s Bethany Woodman, as well as experts like experts including neuroscientist Dr Gina Rippon — aims to explore what life is like for autistic women.
However, it was met with criticism over Tame herself, with some taking aim at her recent political activism around Palestine, and in particular her comments at pro-Palestinian rallies earlier this year.
At a February protest in Sydney against Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit, Tame led chants to “globalise the intifada”. The term is used by Palestinian supporters to advocate for Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation, but the Australian state and federal governments view it as hate speech.
Those comments, along with other statements she made about the October 7 attacks, have drawn strong criticism from some Jewish organisations and political figures.
“At first, I thought the ABC announcement was a joke. I simply could not believe that Australia’s public broadcaster could be so tone-deaf,” Australian Jewish Association CEO Robert Gregory said in a statement.
Protests were also held outside ABC offices on June 2 in Melbourne, with demonstrators arguing the broadcaster shouldn’t be giving Tame a taxpayer-funded platform because of her Palestine stance, even though the podcast is focused on autism, not foreign policy.
Charlie Pickering enters the conversation
Charlie Pickering — who has recently stepped into the ABC Melbourne Drive slot — added another layer to the story when he spoke to protesters and media outside the ABC.
In comments to far-right political commentator Avi Yemini, Pickering said: “I do actually think [Tame’s appointment] is problematic.”
He framed his concerns in the context of how certain language is understood. “As a Jewish Australian there is a complete misunderstanding of a lot of the words that are said and what the true meaning of them are, and a lot of people are using words and phrases that have meaning well beyond what they think they do,” he said.
“I think you could argue a lot of people that jump on protest bandwagons are ignorant a lot of the time.”
When asked directly if he believed Tame was ignorant, Pickering stopped short, saying: “I would not say that.”
Tame says backlash has already impacted her work
The controversy surrounding Tame since her involvement in pro-Palestinian protests hasn’t been limited to media criticism. In March this year, she revealed it had a direct professional consequence on her speaking engagements, many of which are about raising awareness on childhood sexual abuse.
“This is my last presentation of the year and it’s only March… due to an ongoing national smear campaign,” Tame told a ‘No to Violence’ conference in Hobart a few months ago, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
“I have lost all my speaking for the foreseeable future. So many cowardly others capitulated.”
Tame said she believed the loss of work was “just a blip” and described herself as being “up against a well-oiled political machine”, adding she would remain “tough” in her advocacy.
At the same conference, Tame said she is against “violence, antisemitism, Islamophobia, injustice and racism in all its forms”.
The ABC’s response
The ABC has defended both its new podcast and its decision to work with Tame.
“Grace Tame is a high-profile public figure and former Australian of the year who has spoken openly about her experience as an autistic woman and has advocated on neurodivergent issues,” a spokesperson said to 9News in a statement.
They also clarified the timeline, noting: “The ABC has been working with Ms Tame on this series since late 2025.”
The broadcaster also distanced itself from Tame’s political views, stating: “The ABC rejects the views made by Grace Tame about 7 October.”
The network maintains the podcast’s focus is specific: exploring “the diversity of lived experience among women and gender diverse people with autism in Australia”. In other words, the show is about autism and lived experience — not the Israel–Palestine war.
You can go listen to Autistic AF on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts!
The post Grace Tame, Charlie Pickering & Avi Yemeni: Why Is A Podcast About Autism A New Culture War? appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
