Actress Chloé Hayden is best known for her role as Quinnie on the popular TV show “Heartbreak High” — one of the first-ever autistic characters to actually be played by an autistic person. Now, she’s inviting us to imagine a world where seeing autistic people in any role isn’t groundbreaking, it’s simply expected. (Recorded at TEDxSydney Youth on August 28, 2024)
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#TED #TEDTalks #Autism
@xU9aC6jQ5kR2zU0x
September 24, 2025 at 11:26 am
I am autistic, but I don’t want others to know that and I don’t openly mention it. I just want to be treated like everyone else. I don’t expect others to treat me special. There are also stigma’s that I just want to avoid. I have my coping mechnisms, I learn to adapt, I power through, I have my periods of solitude, noise canceling headphones, projects, hobbies…
@mrfalleo
September 24, 2025 at 11:35 am
To believe you are normal is the most insane thing in sanity, which is also insane, it is subjective and is partnered with perception.
@thesilverblack708
September 25, 2025 at 1:41 pm
That is such an insane comment.
@Sam-Bbancy-w2y
September 24, 2025 at 11:37 am
Definitely true! Thanks TED! This talk really breaks the stereotypes around autism. For decades, the system has shaped the narrative to make people believe autism was only a limitation instead of a different way of experiencing the world. Reading Your Mind Was A Target by Dr. Tessa Voss opened my eyes to how often society manipulates our view of “differences” for control.
@carlosnugraha9993
September 24, 2025 at 11:46 am
dang! did ted just go woke?
@Ellie10009
September 25, 2025 at 12:43 pm
If you watched Ethan Lisi’s Ted Talk which was uploaded 5 years ago?
@futuretechnzone
September 24, 2025 at 11:47 am
This talk really changes how you see the spectrum… It’s not about labels, it’s about understanding people better. Respect to Chloé for putting it into words so powerfully 👏
@dianaherron8735
September 24, 2025 at 12:04 pm
♥
@Hamersims
September 24, 2025 at 12:19 pm
I am well in my 40’s and just last year learned that I have autism. It’s not only important for people to know how autism works, but also how it works for males vs. females. Only from one of the other TED talks with an autistic woman I learned that my problems could be autism related. Many thanks for shedding this light on something so needed!
@hansola1297
September 24, 2025 at 12:21 pm
I have a question: a lot of people wirh Autism struggle with navigating social interactions. Part of this is misunderstanding subtle social cues. If the media representation of Autism is increased and there are more examples normalizing awkward or counterproductive social interactions, does that ultimately hurt people with Autism who might seek to replicate the behavior shown?
How would you go about responsibly increasing Autism representation without potentially normalizing bad social skills?
@SecretYualife
September 24, 2025 at 12:24 pm
CHLOÉ
@StochasticCactus
September 24, 2025 at 12:25 pm
Painful relatable …
@RisikoAO
September 24, 2025 at 12:37 pm
No single valuable scientific, or technical, information was given in this video, not a single interesting idea. Everything is about feelings and experiences.
I remember TED’s videos15 years ago, amazing people with real ideas and knowledge exited to teach and share them, now it’s just regular people virtue signaling and complaining about stuff.
The whole thing fell really low over the years. It’s a shame, I think we lost a lot and not gained much.
@vancouverlife1
September 24, 2025 at 1:13 pm
I found this talk useful, relevant to this time and informative. While I enjoyed the TED talks from years ago then, a lot of the “information” has not been true at least yet ie Drexler’s nano machines 👴😁. I suspect TED is using AI to select which of the many talks done each year actually get posted.
@Lanabelle1069
September 24, 2025 at 1:18 pm
Probably one of the most moving TED talks I’ve seen in a while. ❤
@kaybee2643
September 24, 2025 at 3:39 pm
Yesssss to all of this. Well done. Take care of yourself
@robertb1633
September 24, 2025 at 3:44 pm
As someone with Autism, I disagree or perhaps just want to clarify something. (But just for the record, I think this was an excellent presentation.)
I’m very lucky in that I’m relatively high-functioning, and don’t (often) deal with the elements of Autism that are difficult to mask. And because of that, I feel it’s important that when I speak on the subject of Autism, even if it’s just about how it impacts me, that I pay mind to those who are not as lucky as I am.
For me, it is important to distinguish between high and low functioning individuals as a way of acknowledging that just because I’m Autistic, you shouldn’t take me as an example of what Autistic people are able to do. I never want to give someone a reason to say “well, I know someone who’s Autistic, and that’s not true for them, so it must not be true for you.” I don’t want that said to me, and I don’t want that said about me.
I think functionality labels can help people (Autistic and Allistic) put a handle on the accommodations someone might need—not as an immutable metric of their ability to mask or conform, but as a rolling average of that ability.
People just aren’t ready to handle Autism (or really anything) on an individualized basis. We need labels and boxes to break it up and act as short-hand to enable that conversation. Otherwise it’s just too big a concept.
@carbonxkiwi
September 24, 2025 at 4:22 pm
thank you from an entity living in a space that impacts its hexcode in a too-oft’ greyscale(d) world which recognises little: again, thank you.
@machwicce
September 24, 2025 at 8:51 pm
Woot all us butterflies say yay for Chloe
@1.4142
September 24, 2025 at 9:18 pm
well timed
@faizayousufwitpk
September 25, 2025 at 1:26 am
I love this so much! ❤
@nisimmakov4172
September 25, 2025 at 10:32 am
Thank U !!!! U R BEST!
P.S. it took me 10 hours 2 make myself play it.
U made me do it.
I hope others WILL 2!!!
@SirBoden
September 25, 2025 at 12:02 pm
I’m older and autistic. Remember, no two autistic people have the same experience. She is unique in having such a difficult time. Most live a lovely and fulfilling life. I wish her all the best and hope someday she finds peace 🙂
@paulo1940
September 25, 2025 at 1:27 pm
One thing I learnt from you is how to express something so emotionally charged to oneself with power and articulateness. Even when you mentioned that your husband would take care of you heavily at days, you didnt show any signs of shame and even though it can very well be difficult, atleast you spoke it with acceptance and understanding towards yourself.
I might be interpretting too far, but that doesnt make the lesson learnt any less valuable, I and wanted to note it down.
@HAILÚAHIỆP
September 25, 2025 at 1:37 pm
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤