NeuroDiversity is important in Autistic Acceptance Month because it recognizes and values the diversity of human brains and minds, including those of Autistic People. NeuroDiversity also acknowledges that Autism is not something that needs to be “cured” or “fixed” but is instead a natural variation of the human experience.
So, What IS NeuroDiversity?
NeuroDiversity: Refers to the idea that there is a natural and broad spectrum of experiences and expressions that occur within the human brain and nervous system (including differences in cognitive, sensory, and emotional experiences), that can vary significantly from person to person.
This post is based on a Substack post
published on April 4, 2024.
Paid Substack, Patreon, and YouTube members had access to this video on Friday, April 12, 2024 (one week early). The video’s public release will be Friday, April 19, 2024
Transcript:
Lyric Rivera: Hi, Lyric Rivera. My pronouns are they them, and I am the best-selling author of the business ethics book Workplace NeuroDiversity Rising.
I’m also known online as the NeuroDivergent Rebel. I make Autism NeuroDiversity, and other kinds of videos. Before we get going on today’s video, I’m going to address the goat in the room.
Yes. My shirt has goats on it. Because why not?
In today’s video, I’m going to talk about what NeuroDiversity is, and why it is extremely important in Autism Month and, really, all year long. If you would like to know more, please stay tuned.
Intro-music,
Welcome back.
NeuroDiversity is important in Autism Acceptance Month, because it recognizes and values the diversity of human minds, including Autistic People.
NeuroDiversity acknowledges that Autism is not something that needs to be fixed, or cured, but instead, a natural variation of the human experience.
When we embrace NeuroDiversity, we: promote acceptance, and inclusion, breakdown stigmas and stereotypes, helped to create a culture of understanding and support, recognize the strengths, and contributions, of Autistic and other NeuroDivergent People, advocate for accommodations and accessibility, help shift the focus from awareness to acceptance, celebration, and empowerment.
So what is NeuroDiversity?
NeuroDiversity refers to the idea that there is a natural, and broad spectrum, of experiences and expressions, that occur within the human brain and nervous system, including differences in cognitive, sensory, and emotional experiences, that can vary significantly from person to person.
NeuroDiversity recognizes, and celebrates these differences, as natural variations of the human experience, that should be supported, challenging society’s widely held views that NeuroDivergent People are “problems to be solved,” asking neuro-normative people to examine their biases towards NeuroDivergent People when we show up, and engage in the world differently than our peers do, because our brains are, literally, wired differently, looking at the ways this can cause us to be judged unfairly, or inaccurately, as well as examining the systemic barriers that hinder NeuroDivergent success.
In short: neuro-typical is not the default state of humanity. It is, simply, an average our society has been designed to cater to.
I also feel it’s very important for me to mention that Judy singer did not invent NeuroDiversity. This is a concept that was developed collectively. I feel, I personally, need to note, and put this out there in a video because for a long time, many people, myself included, have attributed Judy Singer to the invention, and theorization, of this term. However, I have been made aware that Judy’s claim as the origin of this theory and term are untrue. Therefore, I feel compelled to put this out there, to help combat misinformation that I, myself, have spread.
When, you know, better do better. This is me trying to do better, because I know better now. So just going to throw that note in there real quick.
NeuroDiversity is really important because it gives us a new, more balanced, human way of viewing people with brain differences, more compassionately, instead of blaming NeuroDivergent People for struggling against systemic barriers. It also asks us to look at how we can empower NeuroDivergent, and all people, by creating spaces and environments that consider all kinds of minds in their design and policy, actively removing obstacles that hinder people’s success.
NeuroDiversity changed my life because it changed the way I understood myself, and everyone around me, and my relation to everyone around me. For the first time, I was able to feel pride in myself, instead of shame for my differences and my weaknesses.
Neuro-inclusion is another way we can make spaces safe for NeuroDivergent People. Neuro inclusion, brain inclusion, is inclusion, and accessibility, for everyone with a brain. That’s you too.
By embracing NeuroDiversity, and neuro-inclusion, we aim to create inclusive environments, that support, and empower, people of all brain types, promoting equal opportunities for everyone’s participation, support, and wellbeing -NeuroTypicals too.
NeuroDiversity, and neuro-inclusion, aren’t just about NeuroDivergent People. They are about understanding, supporting, and appreciating NeuroDiverse groups of people, and the diversity of the human experience of everyone with a brain.
Really quick, before we move on: a group of people with diverse brains is called a NeuroDiverse group. NeuroDiverse groups of people will typically include both people who are NeuroDivergent, as well as those who are neuro-normative, or neuro-typical, or neuro-average, and so both of these types of people will typically be within a neuro-diverse group.
Neuro divergent people’s differences are cognitive. They’re also often invisible, and impact how we interpret, and engage with the world, as well as how we process and share information, our emotions, sensory information, and how we interact and communicate with others. Some NeuroDivergent People also experienced differences in how they experience and express. Movement.
Many forms of NeuroDivergence are lifelong, and many people are born NeuroDivergent, still, there are many types of NeuroDivergence that can be acquired, through circumstances or events that can happen in one’s life.
Human brains are complicated and amazingly adaptive. They can also be quite fragile.
The brains of people can be altered, based on experiences that happened in our lives, such as trauma, abuse, and injuries. People who managed to grow up in circumstances where they are nurtured will have very different brains, and experiences, from those of us who grew up in broken homes, or abusive, and traumatic situations. Even as adults, a person’s brain can be forever, or temporarily altered, causing one’s perception of their emotions, the world around them, or communication abilities to change.
Post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, anxiety, depression. These are all conditions that can majorly alter the way a person experiences life, long or short term. Additionally, when someone is NeuroDivergent, they are often NeuroDivergent in multiple ways.
Many of us have layers to our NeuroDivergence, or multiple NeuroTypes, or brain types.
For example, Autism and ADHD co-occur so frequently, that Autistic ADHD-ers online, have coined the term AuDHD to describe the experience of being both Autistic, and ADHD at once.
Regardless of whether someone’s brain differences are the ones they are born with, or the ones they are acquiring in life, whether they’re permanent, or they’re temporary, the more layers someone has, the further they diverge, from what is considered average, and the more support they are going to need to thrive, and find safety, within systems and spaces that were designed for the neuro-normative average.
However, these brain differences originate, what matters is each brain’s owner is experiencing the world differently from those around them, because no two humans, even those with the same brain types, will experience the world in exactly the same way.
NeuroDiversity is all about understanding, humanizing, empowering, and accepting the natural differences between human brains, whether it’s the differences were born with (Autism ADHD, dyslexia, hyperlexia) or the differences we acquire in life, like post traumatic stress, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. It also asks us to examine, and work towards overcoming, systemic barriers that hinder NeuroDivergent People’s success.
Systemic barriers, such as ableism, lack of accommodations, biases, and stigma harm NeuroDivergent People, by perpetuating exclusion, limiting our access to education, employment, healthcare, and can also lead to higher rates of mental health issues, poverty, and social isolation.
For too long Autistic and other NeuroDivergent People, have experienced blame for the discrimination, marginalization, and exclusion we face in society, thanks to the continued perpetuation of harmful stereotypes, and limited opportunities.
Our needs are often pathologized, and we are frequently treated as if we are problems to be solved, rather than recognizing and addressing the systemic issues, that create barriers to our equitable inclusion in society, neglecting the opportunity for meaningful support and accommodation.
The failure of society to recognize the vast diversity of human experience harms all of us.
I’m not saying this harm is intentional. Most people simply don’t know any better than what they’ve been led to believe. That’s why I make videos like this one, helping to educate people, because a lot of people just don’t know any better.
You can help by sharing this video, or subscribing on my Patreon, or my SubStack.
If you would like to learn more, you can buy my book Workplace NeuroDiversity Rising.
I will talk to you all soon. See you next time. outro music plays as end
This post is made possible by my paid subscribers on Substack, Patreon, Facebook, and YouTube.
As thanks for their support, the Patreon members, Facebook Supporters, and YouTube channel members had access to this video on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (The video’s public release was set for Friday, March 22, 2024.)
Both Substack and Patreon offer a free one-week trial on paid subscriptions. If it’s not for you, you can cancel at any time with no obligation.
The NeuroDivergent Rebel Blog is a reader-supported publication. Without the help of my readers, free resources LIKE THIS ONE wouldn’t be possible.
If you would like to support my work monetarily, I ask that you please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber on Patreon, Facebook, or Substack.
If you’re low on funds, sharing this post or recommending my book (or any of my content) is another AMAZING way you can support my work.
It would mean a lot to me,
– Lyric Lark Rivera | NeuroDivergent Rebel
