Neurodivergence & Disability Justice
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This page is a work in progress. Last Updated Fall 2023
Neurodivergence
sometimes abbreviated as ND, is an umbrella term that broadly describes a brain that functions differently from what societal standards would consider the "norm."* Neurodivergence can be something you are born with (examples: autism, dyslexia), and/or it can be something produced by brain-altering experiences (examples: trauma, heavy drug use).
*In this context, "normal" can be contextualized by two things: 1) Being a part of a majority - does your brain functioning, for the most part, match up with your peers? 2) Being a part of the status quo - "how well can you fit into traditional (American) values and perform (American) standards of success?"
Terms on Neurodiveristy
Neurodiversity is the diversity of human minds
Neurodivergent a person who experiences neurodivergence
Neurotypical, often abbreviated as NT, means having a style of neurocognitive functioning that falls within the dominant societal standards of “normal.”*
"Disability Justice was built because the Disability Rights Movement and Disability Studies do not inherently centralize the needs and experiences of folks experiencing intersectional oppression, such as disabled people of color, immigrants with disabilities, queers with disabilities, trans and gender non-conforming people with disabilities, people with disabilities who are houseless, people with disabilities who are incarcerated, people with disabilities who have had their ancestral lands stolen, amongst others."
Learn more here
Online Mental Health Tests:
These are not a substitute for a diagnosis from a provider, but may help you consider if you may be considering you might meet the criteria for some mental health situations.
Resources on Autism:
Online Tests (not a replacement for diagnosis, but may be helpful to look/think through if you're questioning whether or not you're autistic)
Blogs by Autistics
Resources on ADHD:
Diagnosis Criteria for ADHD it's important to note that diagnoses often operate on a deficit model and focuses more on how neurodivergence disallows someone from being what society deems as "productive." Also, many people who have ADHD intuitively create strategies for themselves that help manage the symptoms that come up which can make diagnosis hard sometimes.