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I'm sorry but all of this is wrong.
Neurodivergent ≠ neuroatypical
Neurodivergent ≠ mentally ill
Autistic ≠ mentally ill
Autistic, adhd, schizophrenic, tourettes, dyslexia, etc = neurodivergent https://twitter.com/shut_up_bailey_/status/1341567874226409472
Neurodivergent ≠ neuroatypical
Neurodivergent ≠ mentally ill
Autistic ≠ mentally ill
Autistic, adhd, schizophrenic, tourettes, dyslexia, etc = neurodivergent https://twitter.com/shut_up_bailey_/status/1341567874226409472
Mental illness is neuroatypicality.
Separating ND from mental illness is not to stigmatize MI in any way. It's not to gatekeep or exclude.
There is massive overlap between ND & MI. But it's important to make the distinction between ND & MI. They are different experiences.
Separating ND from mental illness is not to stigmatize MI in any way. It's not to gatekeep or exclude.
There is massive overlap between ND & MI. But it's important to make the distinction between ND & MI. They are different experiences.
A mentally ill neurotypical person will not experience mental illness the same way as a mentally ill ND person.
A mentally ill NT cannot understand what it's like being ND.
Mental illness is an illness.
Neurodivergence is a variation of diverse neurological possibilities.
A mentally ill NT cannot understand what it's like being ND.
Mental illness is an illness.
Neurodivergence is a variation of diverse neurological possibilities.
The experience of MI & ND, both in medicine & in society, are very different.
By separating the two, we can better address the issues facing each group (as well as the overlap).
The biases & challenges facing each group are inherently different.
By separating the two, we can better address the issues facing each group (as well as the overlap).
The biases & challenges facing each group are inherently different.
It would be nice if there were an umbrella term for both ND & MI.
Think of the queer community. That umbrella holds many subcategories beneath it.
Not all queer people are trans. They can't all understand what it's like to be trans. But they all experience queerness.
Think of the queer community. That umbrella holds many subcategories beneath it.
Not all queer people are trans. They can't all understand what it's like to be trans. But they all experience queerness.
There is value both in recognizing the similarities & differences, the subtleties & overlaps in these experiences.
There are many ways of being trans, like there are many ways of being ND. But being gay is not the same as being trans, like MI is not the same as ND.
There are many ways of being trans, like there are many ways of being ND. But being gay is not the same as being trans, like MI is not the same as ND.
So if we had a label for the group of both ND & MI, like queer for both trans people & other queer people, we could highlight the similarities, without erasing the differences.
It's dangerous for ND people to have our experiences & spaces flooded with NT people with MI.
It's dangerous for ND people to have our experiences & spaces flooded with NT people with MI.
We spend our lives being talked over by NTs. We need to have our own labels & spaces.
Just like cis queer people coming into trans spaces can be dangerous.
This is just one comparison using another community I'm familiar with, as I am queer but not trans.
Just like cis queer people coming into trans spaces can be dangerous.
This is just one comparison using another community I'm familiar with, as I am queer but not trans.
This is just to help illustrate why having both umbrella terms, & varying levels of subcategories is not gatekeeping, it just helps hold space for different experiences, & does not erase overlapping, intersectional experiences.
