Neurodiversity – when?

Neurodiversity is bound to come – but it will take some time. Reminds me of that quote by Schopenhauer about truth:

“All truth passes through 3 stages: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as self-evident.”

And then people are going to go – ‘oh yeah, neurodiversity, sure, not all brains are wired the same, or develop in the same way, and vive la difference. We’re not all the same, nor are we meant to be. Autistics just need the right kind of support and understanding. Some diagnosed autistics never were autistics. They had other problems, which confused the whole issue. But thankfully autism is better understood today. ‘ Until that day comes, autistics and their supporters will speak out.

“People with autistic spectrum disorders are not victims of autism, (News, last week), they are victims of society. They do not suffer from their developmental differences, they suffer from prejudice, ignorance, lack of understanding, exploitation, verbal abuse – all this and more from that sector of society which considers itself socially able.” – Grace Hewson – Sunday May 20, 2001  The Observer

IS AUTISM A PLAGUE?
Michelle Dawson, in a letter to Dr Victor Goldbloom and the Decision of the Quebec College of Physicians – https://www.sentex.net/~nexus23/naa_plag.html – excerpt

“Being described as a plague by an eminent doctor can only harm autistic people, who are citizens, who are taxpayers, who contribute greatly to society in spite of facing intolerance and ostracism. We are not a plague. We are people who have a culture: a large published literature, art, music, architecture, design, technology, science, and engineering. Published, peer-reviewed science is available showing that our abilities in many areas exceed those of non-autistics. The world cannot do without autistic genetics, or autistic behaviours.

Further, there is no worrying increase in autism: this is not justified by epidemiology. The number of diagnosed cases is increasing, but there is only faint evidence that any of this increase is due to an increase in autism, rather than to increased awareness and greatly broadened (and often misapplied) diagnostic criteria. Finally, there is nothing enigmatic about autism. The real mystery is why we are not seen as human beings with rights. The mystery is why we are seen as a plague, and described that way by an eminent physician.”