What is neurodiversity?
The world is made up of people whose minds work in many different ways. This diversity of development, thinking and processing, or “neurodiversity”, is a natural feature of humankind. In recognising neurodiversity, we do not see one way of thinking as “normal” and other ways of thinking as disordered, but embrace diversity and difference. Being autistic is one way of thinking and being in the world among many neurotypes and thinking styles.
Neurodiversity and neurodivergence
Neurodiversity is a feature of communities and populations, not individual people. So it is not really correct to talk about a ‘neurodiverse person’ or ‘a person with neurodiversity’. At the same time, neurodiversity is not a collective term for clinical conditions or minority neurotypes like Autism, ADHD or dyspraxia because a neurodiverse population includes people who might be regarded as having socially ‘typical’ ways of thinking and acting (sometimes call ‘neurotypical’).
Kassiane Asasumasu coined the term ‘neurodivergent’ to refer to people who do not have socially expected ways of thinking and acting. While some people might say that there is no such thing as a ‘neurotypical’ person- that we all have different ways of thinking – the term ‘neurodivergent’ recognises that society advantages people who have more typical neurological development. Neurodivergence provides a collective term under which minority groups – such as autistic people, and people with ADHD or dyspraxia – can express and build solidarity as groups who are often disadvantaged.
Getting the language right, and why it matters
The idea of neurodiversity (sometimes called the ‘neurodiversity paradigm’) was developed by autistic thinkers and advocates in the 1990s who often felt treated unfairly in a society that regarded them as disordered. This was especially the case in clinical research and practice. Since the neurodiversity paradigm was created by a group who were often marginalised, it is important that we take the time to properly understand the terminology and use it as it was intended. If autism charities, professionals, and clinicians take on the language of neurodiversity without properly understanding it (such as using ‘neurodiversity’ to refer to a group of clinical diagnoses), this creates a further injustice.
Neuro-Affirming Practice
At Scottish Autism we embrace difference and strive for support that recognises autistic ways of thinking and being. This is known as ‘neurodiversity-affirmative’ or ‘neuro-affirming’ practice.
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Our services
We offer a wide range of services for autistic people of all ages, as well as their families. Every service is shaped around the individual – their strengths, motivations and what matters most to them.
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