Neurodiversity and Disability...mutually exclusive?

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Many aspects of my autism (and my ADHD...I don't totally understand where one ends and the other begins) make it a disability. I also think autism is an example of natural human variation (ditto for ADHD) -- in other words, of "neurodiversity".

I'm not talking about how some aspects are disabling while other aspects are either non-disabling or might be seen as gifts (nor am I even talking about how the difference between gift and disability can sometimes depend on context), I'm talking about the idea that the disabling aspects of autism represent neurological diversity just as much as the aspects that are non-disabling/gifts.

I read things (blogs, articles about ethics, etc.) that suggest that the two perspectives are mutually exclusive....people seem to be saying that neurodiversity doesn't include disability, and I have to struggle to make sense of their perspectives (it seems to have a lot to do with semantics -- how I attach different meanings to "disability" and "neurodiversity"...and probably have a different way of using/thinking about words). To some, it seems that if something is an example of "diversity," it has to be non-disabling....that's not what "diversity" means in my mind.

Is the neurodiversity movement really about proving that autism isn't disabling? I sorta thought it was the standard "please accept us as valuable human beings just the way we are," kind of movement....the idea being that disability doesn't make a person worthless, doesn't make a person's life worthless?

What do you think about the idea that autism can be both a disabling and an example of neurological diversity? What does "neurodiversity" mean in your mind?

To me 'Neurodiverse' is an umbrella term used to describe anyone who is non-NT, for example people with Autism, Aspergers Syndrome, ADHD, Dyslexia, Tourette's Syndrome etc (Epilepsy might be in there too) They have 'non-standard brain wiring'.

I usually find that people with any of these conditions think in a different way to the norm and I am more likely to be able to hold a decent conversation with them as a result ie their brain wiring is more similar to mine than the standard NT wiring.

I don't think about it as compared to the term 'disability' generally but I suppose it is a way of saying that a person just thinks differently or is 'wired' differently I their brain as opposed to being defective

However you see yourself though it will be how society in general sees you that will dictate how you get treated.

If I meet a person and can get on well with them I might say 'I think they might be neurodiverse' as opposed to 'I think they might be an aspie', as I can often find common ground with people who have other neurodiverse conditions as well so there's no way of knowing which one they have; I will just know there's some kind of a connection being made that I wouldn't make with the average NT.

Neurodiversity is about perverting damaged people into something special.

We can be all for racial mixing whilst accepting that white people sunburn easily, we can be in favour of equal treatment for men and women whilst accepting we have different hormones whizzing around inside us. Similarly, we can accept and even embrace the differences in neurology between NTs/Aspies/NAs whilst also acknowledging that different neurotypes require different support and have different capabilities.

Neurodiversity is about saying that disability doesn't mean lesser.

I am disabled. I am not a lesser person because of my disability. I cannot do everything that others can. I will never be able to. I will always have needs that others will not. I will always be disabled and not just different.

But that doesn't mean that I'm not good enough. It doesn't mean that I'm not human. It doesn't mean I'm less than someone who's not disabled. It doesn't mean that I need to be cured.

It means that I'm a disabled person.

And neurodiversity means embracing those differences. All of them. Disabled or not. It means saying that someone who needs to read to learn and someone who need to listen to learn both matter. It means someone who can't see a florescent light without getting a migraine matters. It means that someone who needs to use tools to remember what they're doing day to day matters. It means someone who doesn't know how to interact socially matters. It means that we're all people.

It means that disability isn't being broken. It means that disability isn't being wrong.

But its a concept larger than disability.

It means that being different isn't being wrong. Disabled or not.

That's what it means to me.

I'm disabled. I'm not less than someone who's not. I'm just me.

To me, I think neurodiversity would mean being more accepting of different types of brains and thought-processes. In particular, I'd like people to better understand that things like AS aren't an 'all or nothing' sort of a thing, and for those that have an idea about that, to understand that so-called 'low-functioning' aren't necessarily as low-functioning as they think. To understand that while some individuals with AS may consider it a disability, at least in some aspects, it isn't automatically so. To understand that AS has a number of advantages and it can bring a lot to the workplace, and not that it's a solely negative thing. To accept people even with what is negative, and to embrace the positive and integrate it in. To acknowledge that we can understand, that we can speak for ourselves, listen to us, and let us speak for ourselves, not to be shunned because of widespread propaganda.

It's already acknowledged by many that having people with different viewpoints and ways of thinking in a group can have a lot of benefits, if you can just get them to work together. It is said that one should be able to be employed regardless of disabilities or perceived disabilities, at least assuming that they're actually able to do the job itself. People already try to reduce things like bullying and be more inclusive and acceptive of various types of diversity, including those with disabilities, or those who speak differently.

So why does Autism in particular get so much negative attention, and so little positive attention? Why does even the 'positive' attention tend to include negative language? Why do they try to talk 'for' us and not listen?

From what I can tell, it appears to be the 'communication' thing that tends to throw NTs off: They assume that non-communication goes both ways, and that if you can't communicate, there's no point in bothering. Or if there's poor communication, they tend to prefer those that they can communicate with more easily, perhaps a bit too much. They just... don't bother trying to learn how to communicate, or helping the other person to communicate with them. Or they can't get over the idea that communication is supposedly impossible. They just... It's like they put up this wall, and in many cases it keeps getting reinforced. They don't bother because they think we can't.

I just want that wall to be broken down, even if it's just a little bit at a time. I want to feel like I can do more than talk to a wall when it comes to Autism. If they could get more of an idea that even 'low-functioning' Autism isn't strictly non-communicative, and that there is a person in there, I feel like that would be a big step forward.

So I want to take what tools I can and try to weaken that wall. Try to get it to fall apart, even if just a little bit at a time. No, maybe we won't be able to break it down completely, and a doubt we'll be able to erradicate communication problems entirely (even NTs have trouble communicating mutually sometimes). Still, if we could get the idea to better penetrate it's way into NT society that it could be a benificial type of diversity and that we're not just a drag on society. If we could get them to get the idea that we - or anyone really - aren't really required to change ourselves to fit some popular standard imposed on us by any one human group, and that social interractions aren't everything, I think a lot of the world would be a lot better off. Not just those of us who are more AS.

I'm sorry. I don't accept the word 'disabled'. At least, when it comes to asperger or high functioning autism.

Of course, I have disadvantages in comparison with a NT. I'm very aware of it.

But I have advantages too.

I have much more capacity to perceive patterns that every NT I know. Some of my capacities of abstract thought surpasses most of NTs I know (if not all).

I have a far better ability to analyze in an unemotional way than any NT. Indeed, I see most NTs as suffering of a 'emotional blindness'. NT often can't think out of this emotional box. I have no problem to do it.

I can deal with isolation without any problem and get emotional rewards from work. NTs need constant emotional care.

So, different? Yeah. Less or even disabled? No way, dude.

Neurodiversity implies the notion that Autism is not a disorder but rather just a normal part of human diversity, and that Autistic traits involve both extreme weaknesses and extreme strengths.

As such, the neurodiversity movement rejects the notion of a cure for Autism, but it does not per se reject the notion that Autistic individuals can benefit from neurochemical enhancement through medication with eg. stimulants, although this should be a personal choice of the Autistic individual and/or his/her family.

Interesting scientific publication on Autism and neurodiversity :
Autism as a Natural Human Variation: Reflections on the Claims of the Neurodiversity Movement