Neurodiversity & Neurodivergence: What Really Is It?Understanding what makes neurodivergent people neurodivergent
Neurodiversity and neurodivergent are not the fringe terms they used to be. From their origins in INLV forums and other online spaces through to contemporary times. The language of neurodiversity has become something that is now used widely by corporations, while remaining poorly understood, and even misunderstood by neurodivergent people themselves. There are basic principles to understand about neurodiversity and neurodivergence that create the foundation upon which their use has become commonplace in a growing number of communities and systems.
It is important that we first appreciate the socially constructed nature of these terms. The foundational discourse that led to these two terms and their use was largely an act of co-creation through discussion in specific online communities throughout the 90's. While socially constructed, however, both terms have a strong basis in what would be largely viewed as objective and peer-reviewed inquiry. Neurodiversity is a clear extension of biodiversity, and neurodivergence can be scientifically observed through our understanding human behaviour, psychology, and the physical anatomy of the brain. While rooted in scientific fact, I remain stuck on the question of what neurodiversity truly means, and how we know a neurodivergent person is neurodivergent. What Is A Neurodivergent Person?To understand what a neurodivergent person is, we first have to understand what is meant by a “neurotypical person”. Neurotypicality is not a neurocognitive style. It is a performance. A neurotypical person can conform to neuronormative standards with relative comfort, or in this sense, they can perform them. Neuronormative asserts that (within the cultural context it is observed) a certain set of behaviours, emotions, and responses to the world around us are the correct way of being. In this regard, we can assume neuronormative standards to be the qualities of neurotypicality, and that provided a persons observable existence remains within these qualities and is sustainable for them, they are neurotypical. To be neurodivergent, then, is to diverge from those neuronormative standards. Neurodivergent people can be considered qualitatively different from neurotypical performers. There is no requirement for a neurodivergent person to have always lacked the qualities of neurotypicality, nor is there a boundary that prevents a neurotypical from going through the qualitative changes that cause them to become neurodivergent. Neurodivergent performance does not require predetermination outside of our control. So, what we can assume to be true in this case is that the distinction between neurotypical and neurodivergent is a matter of qualitative difference rather then numerical. This highlights to me that what is lost under these observable qualities is the nature of neurodiversity and the humanity it is found within. At the basis of these discussions are human beings, whom all express qualitative differences with regard to their neurocognition. We forget that the identities often assigned to the category of “neurodivergent” are a collection of qualities that obscure the unique neurocognitive expression beneath them. The reason all Autistic people are different is because autism is a diagnostic identity built from outwardly observable qualities, and that just because you observe the same qualities in two things does not mean they are the same thing. Two identical painted tables can appear the same while having unique qualities that are not immediately observable. In this regard, forcing an Autistic or otherwise neurodivergent person to validate their qualitative difference is to ask a person to gauge the size of an iceberg without viewing what remains beneath the waters surface. What remains is to answer the question of how we know a neurodivergent person really is neurodivergent and what neurodiversity and neurodivergence is; Neurodiversity is the foundational paradigm that tells us no two brains are the same. Neurodivergence is a non-conformity to qualities that attempt to obscure neurodiversity. And given that we can only understand another person via the qualities made known and observable to us, the way we know a person really is neurodivergent is that they tell us. The only person with full access to the nature and qualities of a peraons neurocognitive style is the person themselves, not a person attempting to externally validate and diagnose that neurodivergence. You're currently a free subscriber to David Gray-Hammond. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
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Sunday, 3 August 2025
Neurodiversity & Neurodivergence: What Really Is It?
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