We live in a society where people are expected to follow the dominant social and hierarchal norms, and those who cannot fall in line (or refuse to) are often mocked, scolded, medicalized, dehumanized, and punished for their inability to blend in.
Typical or normative are social constructs, concepts that change depending on time, place, culture, and space.
Social hierarchies (that place one type of person at a higher value than others) have historically been reinforced through degrading, dehumanizing, and stigmatizing language.
Shame is a tool used by oppressors to keep those they step on down.
When people say they are afraid that “seeing a rainbow flag will make people Queer,” what they’re actually scared of is people knowing that being Queer is an option.
They want Queer to be something taboo, words whispered because people are ashamed (or afraid) to speak them.
I’ve encountered people with similar ideas about Autism and NeuroDivergence, who are offended by Autistic and other NeuroDivergent People who find pride in our identities.
NeuroDivergent People are currently heavily medicalized, primarily viewed through a negative lens, painting us as undesirables society is inconvenienced and plagued by (similar to how Queers were heavily medicalized in the 1950s-1970s).
Though we have diverse strengths and weaknesses, most people today have little to no knowledge of NeuroDivergent strengths.
BONUS VIDEO: 10 Strengths of NeuroDivergent People (That May Surprise You)
We, and many other marginalized (and multiply-marginalized) peoples, often are forced to work to prove our worth and value as humans in the face of near-constant dehumanization.
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