Neurodivergence and Disability: Beyond the Checkbox Trap
Neurodivergence and Disability: Beyond the Checkbox Trap
Neurodivergence and Disability: Beyond the Checkbox Trap
Is neurodivergence a disability? The question itself is the problem. We're forcing rigid categories onto a dynamic reality, and people pay the price.
...A non-speaking autistic person is assumed to lack comprehension, agency, and sophisticated thought. They're denied education, autonomy, and presumption of competence because one apparent marker of disability is mistaken for a limitation in every domain of functioning.
The other extreme is the denial of difficulty: For example, eloquent communicators might be told they "don't seem autistic" or can't possibly need support. Or, someone's success in one area becomes “evidence” that their ADHD is not real; they're exaggerating, seeking attention, not trying hard enough. The non-apparent and context-specific nature of struggles is used to dismiss the very real sensory overwhelm, social exhaustion, or executive function challenges.