Neurodiversity Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity - Definition

Neurodiversity is a concept that atypical neurological wiring is a normal human difference that is to be tolerated and respected as any other human difference. The concept of neurodiversity was created by autistic individuals who believe that autism is not a disorder but a part of who they are and that curing them would be the same as killing them and replacing them with different people.

Contents
1 Response to Prejudice
2 Who are the proponents?
3 History of the term
4 See Also

4.1 Topics related to neurodiversity
4.2 Topics in autism in general

5 External links

5.1 In general/ resources
5.2 Personal (activist) websites
5.3 Activism
5.4 Neurodiversity
5.5 Autistic culture
5.6 Graphics and humor
5.7 Other

Response to Prejudice

The term neurodiversity is usually used as a statement against prejudice and bigotry towards autism. This could include any of the following:

  • Intolerant attitudes toward autistic behavior that may be perceived as odd or unusual.
  • Intolerance toward difficulties autistic people often have.
  • Discrimination against people for being autistic or because of autistic traits or behaviors.
  • Lack of accommodations for difficulties associated with autism.
  • Attitude that autistics are inferior to Neurotypical people; or that there is something wrong with being autistic; or that autism is a disease that needs to be cured.
  • Institutions designed without consideration of autistics (for example: schools with heavy demand on social skills that may be hard for autistics).
  • Barriers to participation in society due to difficulties associated with autism that could have been accommodated (for example, a technically competent autistic person may lose a job because of social awkwardness or may never get past the interview stage).
  • Lack of protection for autistics in equal employment opportunity legislation.

Who are the proponents?

Most supporters of neurodiversity are anti-cure autistics who are engaged in civil rights advocacy. Many parents of autistic children also support neurodiversity and the view that autism is a unique way of being, rather than a disease to be cured. Such parents value their children's individuality and want to allow their children to develop naturally.

History of the term

The first citation of the term "neurodiversity" is generally held to have occured in an essay by Judy Singer:

Judy Singer, "'Why can't you be normal for once in your life?'" in Disability Discourse, Mairian Corker ed., Open University Press, February 1, 1999)

where it is used to describe a post modernist critique and addition to the social cleavages of class, gender, race and so on.

This is not so as the term seems to have been in use before then on usenet before this as far back as 1998, for example . http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.support.learning-disab/msg/9a585e7872c706f3

"Any thoughts on the idea of neurodiversity pride: that is, that those who are wired differently from what is considered the norm, are not BAD, or DISABLED and don’t need “fixing,” but merely…different?"

A print citation is given for the Coventry Evening Telegraph (U.K.) (Jan. 14th 2004 )with reference to the Coventry and Warwickshire Neurodiversity Group who define the term thus:

"Neurodiversity is a word that has been around since autistic people started putting sites on the internet. It has since been expanded to include not just people who are known as "autistics and cousins", but to express the idea that a diversity of ways of human thinking is a good thing, and dyslexic, autistic, ADHD, dyspraxic and tourettes people to name but a few all have some element in common not being neurotypical in the way our brains work."

http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/7138/rights/neurodiversity.htm

Whilst the term most appears to have originated within the online autistic community, its usage has spread outside to a more general meaning sometimes hotly disputed between its proponents as to whether it is inclusive of people with conditions like Cerebral Palsy, Parkinsons Disease, Multiple Sclerosis etc. Whilst others prefer to confine it to the invisible conditions such as those outlined by the Developmental Adult Neurodiversity Association in the UK

http://www.danda.org.uk/

Certainly the term has been eagerly sought amongst top level domain name registrations, with neurodiversity.com (http://www.neurodiversity.com) and neurodiversity.info (http://www.neurodiversity.info) being examples, and there is no doubt that the term has seen a boost with the New York Times article by Amy Harmon

Amy Harmon, "The Disability Movement Turns to Brains," The New York Times, May 9, 2004

See Also

Topics related to neurodiversity

Topics in autism in general

External links

In general/ resources

  • WrongPlanet.net (http://www.wrongplanet.net/) A community site for those with Asperger's and Autism
  • AS-IF (http://www.as-if.org.uk/index.htm) Information, resource links, and links to discussion groups
  • Jypsy's "Oops, Wrong Planet" site (http://www.isn.net/~jypsy) Autism information, advocacy, and a large collection of resource links
  • Autism Assembly (http://www.autism-assembly.com) A coalition of members of the autistic community who seek acceptance for those on the autistic spectrum, who aim to educate about autism, and who are not seeking a cure for autism
  • University Students with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome (http://www.users.dircon.co.uk./~cns/index.html) Helpful information and advice for autistic students

Personal (activist) websites

Activism

Neurodiversity

  • Neurodiversity (http://neurodiversity.com)Promoting the concept of neurodiversity
  • Aspies.co.uk (http://www.aspies.co.uk) site about AS - I don't believe aspies should be "cured" or forced to be "normal"
  • Celebrate Autism Today (http://www.celebrateautismtoday.org) "Autism is a difference, not a disease."
  • Word Spy on Neurodiversity (http://www.wordspy.com/words/neurodiversity.asp) The Word Spy discusses the emerging concept of neurodiversity
  • Curing Neuro-Bigotry (http://www.khazaddum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=249972) "Autism is not a 'tragedy.' It is diversity."
  • Sideways Minds (http://www.tshirtrebel.com/Sideways) Advocating acceptance of neurological differences
  • Neurodiversity.com (http://www.neurodiversity.com) Promoting the concept of neurodiversity
  • Neurodiversity Now (http://www.neurodiversitynow.net) Essays and a link to a livejournal discussion

Autistic culture

Graphics and humor

  • Oddizm (http://www.geocities.com/autistry/oddizms.html) Humor, pictures, and civil rights information and links
  • Proudly Autistic by CafePress (http://www.cafepress.com/proudlyautistic) Autistic pride T-shirts, etc.
  • Horse manure cures autism (http://groups-beta.google.com/group/bit.listserv.autism/msg/0efcf697b9f744d1) parody of alleged autism "treatments" written by a parent of an autistic person and another autistic person (contains foul language)

Other

Aspergian Pride's Cure for Ignorance Campaign seeks to raise the visibility of pride and advocacy sites in searches for autism-related terms by distributing a list of links. A copy in html format can be obtained by visiting the Cure for Ignorance page (http://www.aspergianpride.com/Portal/index.php?page=4) on the Aspergian Pride site.

Copyright 2009 WordIQ.com - Privacy Policy  :: Terms of Use  :: Contact Us  :: About Us
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the this Wikipedia article.