This past week, my employer has had some events happening for World Autism Acceptance Week. One of those was a discussion panel on the subject of belonging. Something that was said on the panel really hit home:
We actively celebrate gender diversity, racial diversity, religious diversity, but when we come to neurodiversity it's a different story. The last D in ADHD and ASD is disorder – it instantly introduces negative connotations, that people are deficient or broken.
We need a better way of describing these conditions that doesn't cast a cloud over people with them. They're not broken, just different, and that needs to celebrated.
@colinwalker Could not have said it better myself. Different is not a negative thing. It starts with understanding.
@colinwalker I have an disorder also described in the ICD manual, and although it has left me broken in many ways, I'm not broken, and neither are my fellow diagnostees. Different, yes.
Different is good. It would be boring if we were all the same.
Oh yes, I like this. “Autism Spectrum Diversity” does conjure a different framing. Not saying that would be the preferred term, but I appreciate the intent.
That would at least be a start.
@colinwalker totally agree