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This post has an informative purpose concerning some of the concepts that are frequently used to talk about disability.

We understand that these are open debates within the community and the movements of people with disabilities. So we are not trying to establish a unique form or “correct way” to tag these experiences, but to present some perspectives that exist to invite dialogue and reflexion about these concepts.

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The term neurodiversity was coined the year 1998 by the australian sociologist Judy Singer as a synonym of “neurological biodiversity”. In other words, neurodiversity refers to the natural variation between one brain and another in the human species (Specialisterne, s.f.).

From this perspective, all people should be neurodiverse, since no brain is identical to another.

Neurodiversity

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From this concepts stems the neurodiversity paradigm and the neurodivergent movement.

The first one refers to the framework that studies this neurocognitive diversity as part of human diversity. Considering it as something valuable and going beyond the idea of a “normal brain” (Reaño, 2023).

The second one makes reference to the social justice movement propelled by the Movement for the Rights of Autistic People, whose goal is the search for civil rights, equality, respect and inclusion for neurodivergent people (Walker, 2021).

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The terms “neurodivergence” y “neurodivergent” were coined the year 2000 by the activist Kassiane Asasumasu. They refer to every such brain that diverges from the norm, meaning, everything that neurologically diverges from the neurotypical (Reaño, 2023).

Neurodivergent movement

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Neurodivergence can be genetic or innate, it can be originated by experiences that alter the functioning of the brain, or even a mixture of both (Walker, 2021).

In this way, within this category you can find people with autism, TDAH, Tourette syndrome, depression, anxiety disorder, mental health conditions like bipolar disorder or TOC, sensory processing disorder, among others.

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Sources

Reaño, E. (26 de junio, 2023). Neurodiversidad y Neurodivergencia. Ernesto Reaño.

Specialisterne. (s.f.). Autismo, Neurodiversidad y Neurodivergencia. Specialisterne.