Chapter 1: The Neurodiversity Paradigm
I don’t think it’s possible to talk about autism from a neurodiversity-affirming perspective without first highlighting the creation, and creators, of the movement.
The term neurodivergent was coined by Kassiane Asasumasu in about 2000. In an interview on the “Foundations for Divergent Minds” YouTube channel dated July 27, 2023 (https://youtu.be/J0BP5nbgdu4 - 2:43), they said “People were using the word ‘neurotypical’ as the opposite of autistic and that’s inaccurate.... so I started identifying as ‘neurodivergent,’ and multiply neurodivergent at that, because ‘divergence’ is a neutral term.” In this definition, they also emphasized that neurodivergent is not a synonym for autistic. In fact, they said they wanted to create “a big honkin’ huge tent” that includes all people who are not neurotypical.
Starting around 2004, Dr. Nick Walker (she/her) and other autistic advocates began using the term neurodiversity paradigm amongst themselves. She described the fundamental principles the 2013 version of her essay, “Throw Away the Master’s Tools: Liberating Ourselves from the Pathology Paradigm”:
“Here’s how I’d articulate the fundamental principles of the neurodiversity paradigm:
Neurodiversity – the diversity among minds – is a natural, healthy, and valuable form of human diversity.
There is no “normal” or “right” style of human mind, any more than there is one “normal” or “right” ethnicity, gender, or culture.
The social dynamics that manifest in regard to neurodiversity are similar to the social dynamics that manifest in regard to other forms of human diversity (e.g., diversity of race, culture, gender, or sexual orientation). These dynamics include the dynamics of social power relations – the dynamics of social inequality, privilege, and oppression – as well as the dynamics by which diversity, when embraced, acts as a source of creative potential within a group or society.
Several of Dr. Walker’s essays are available on-line in their original forms. They’ve also been revised and compiled into her book: Neuroqueer Heresies: Notes on the Neurodiversity Paradigm, Autistic Empowerment, and Postnormal Possibilities, published in 2021 by Autonomous Press.
Since then, Sonny Jane Wise (they/them) has been instrumental in advocating for the use of the terms neurodivergent, neurotypical, and neurodiverse in the ways they were originally intended, further emphasizing this in a pointed way with the title of their book We’re All Neurodiverse, published in 2023 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. (Definitions are originally in alphabetical order. This was changed and emphasis was added to highlight the contrast in the definitions between the individual and group definitions.)
“Neurotypical is a term used to describe an individual whose functioning falls within dominant neuronormative standards...
Neurodivergent is an an umbrella term to describe individuals whose mind or functioning falls outside dominant social norms...
Neurodiversity refers to the the variability of human minds and all the unique and different ways people can exist, think, act, feel, process, and function. Neurodiversity refers to all human minds on the planet.”