Neurodivergent Pride Day
June 12th is Neurodivergent Pride Day! Understanding neurodiversity creates a context for celebrating neurodivergent pride.
Neurodiversity refers to the natural diversity of minds that work in different ways.
Neurotypical refers to minds that work in ways society deems as typical or "normal" (NOT a preferred word).
Neurodivergent refers to minds that work in ways that diverge from what society deems as typical.
Society, from social norms to education, employment, healthcare, and beyond, is built for neurotypical people. Neurodivergent people are often left to struggle and blamed for doing so.
Neurodivergent Pride questions neurotypical norms, creates representation, and celebrates the beauty and lived experience of neurodivergent people, who are worthy and whose lives have value.
Sonny Jane Wise, the Lived Experience Educator, shared these 8 reasons why we need a Neurodivergent Pride Day:
🌈 There are already holidays for raising awareness about neurodiversity or celebrating neurodiversity.
🌈 Growing up being told you are disordered and you need to be fixed creates a narrative of shame... and Neurodivergent Pride can show us a new narrative.
🌈 Moving through a neuronormative society is like trying to push square pegs into round holes. Neurodivergent Pride is an opportunity to celebrate our square edges.
🌈 We spend so much of our time reminding society that we deserve inclusion, rights and not to viewed as broken or wrong but sometimes, we need the reminder too.
🌈 Neurodivergent Pride is an opportunity to shift the narrative and create representation that shows we are proud of our neurodivergent identity and differences.
🌈 We should be able to take pride in shattering neuronormative expectations and ideals.
🌈 It is a proclamation that we are worthy and valuable as neurodivergent people - and we deserve to be treated as such.
🌈 Neurodivergent people face barriers, harm and discrimination every day, especially neurodivergent people who hold additional marginalized identities, and perhaps that deserves some recognition sometimes because we're still kicking.
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Rebecca A. Weiner, M.Ed. Is a neurodiversity affirming educator and creator of Learn Play Grow. She helps young children with diverse abilities and their families, teachers, and schools experience success on their own terms through play-based learning, parent and teacher coaching, and consulting and inclusion support in schools.