Neurodiversity: celebrating the variations of the human mind
Read more about how The MIND Project is promoting Neurodiversity here.
In recent years, there has been much discussion surrounding the topic of neurodiversity and the terminology surrounding the movement. Though there are many ways that the terms neurodiverse and neurodivergent are utilized, there is relevant historical context surrounding their usage and rise. Neurodiverse and neurodivergent were coined by different people and have had different meanings.
The term neurodiversity was first used by Jim Sinclair, an autism activist. However, its popularization is attributed to two individuals: Judy Singer, an autism rights advocate, in conjunction with Harvey Blume, a New York journalist.
Neurodiversity was intended to capture the neurological differences throughout the human population. Blume himself hoped that the term would draw attention to how neurological differences are pathologized. Since its initial usage, the term has grown to encompass broader neurological differences beyond the autistic community and is used in a variety of areas, from higher education, to disability justice, to medicine.
Yet, while neurodiversity is a term that can apply to any collective, as can diversity, it is important to recognize the underlying power hierarchies that surround neurological traits. Some neurological traits are more common in the general population, and thus, result in the reinforcement of neuronormative standards. Such reinforcement threatens the understanding of neurodiversity and contributes to the marginalization and oppression of those who diverge from predominant neurotypes, or those who are neurodivergent, a term coined by autistic activist Kassiane Asaumasu.
When defining neurodivergent, Asaumasu’s intention was to create an inclusive term that anyone who resonated with could use. To them, at its core, the term describes a brain that diverges. Individuals with neurological and/or psychological conditions may find that they identify as neurodivergent. That being said, the term can apply to anyone who feels that their neurological function differs from that of overarching norms.
Within neurodiversity, there are a variety of different ways that relate to or identify with conditions each individual possesses. For example, some understand their conditions through a medical lens, while others find understanding their conditions as a difference to be more helpful. A combination of these perspectives or alternative perspectives exists within the highly diverse community. While there has been a push by some within the community to “gatekeep” or limit the term neurodiversity to apply to specific conditions, typically those conditions that are lifelong, such gatekeeping feeds back into exclusion. Such exclusion is largely antithetical to the origins of the terms and the movement itself. Critically, in conversations regarding neurodiversity, you should honor and center how each individual approaches their own neurodiversity.
Resources
Armstrong, T. (2015). The myth of the normal brain: Embracing neurodiversity. AMA Journal of Ethics, 17(4), 348-352. https://doi.org/10.1001/journalofethics.2015.17.4.msoc1-1504
Ian-the-hare. (2015). The tags: '[M]' ,'[D]' and '[B]': Some people obviously prefer to think of their condition as differences rather than disorders, while others find the medical point of view more helpful... [Post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/neurodiversity/comments/251jg2/custom_flairs_are_now_available/
Kidwell, J. (Host). (2022, June 17). Gatekeeping the Neurodivergent umbrella [Audio podcast episode]. In Neuroversity. Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/episode/32qV8sr8kkvpWTyLfP0T9s?si=JlSUBBwJTLq7s0bAiu1Jow&nd=1
r/neurodiversity. (n.d.). The terms neurodiversity and neurodiverse did not come from the same person who coined the word neurodivergent... [Post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/neurodiversity/about/
Written by Anuksha Wickramasinghe, TMP Neurodiversity Project