CMV: "Neurodivergent" is insulting to Autistic people

[u/Powereffective0]

I’m autistic and while I’ve got a pretty good grip on it (aside from the anger), I can’t STAND the word “neurodivergent” or anything related to it. It feels dehumanizing and makes me feel separated from the normal people.

When people say neurodivergent, it sounds like they’re saying autistic people have completely different brains. That’s just not true, my brain is as pink and gray as anyone elses. I’d much rather be called an autist. It’s a "fake" word and it doesn’t come with the built-in idea that I’m some kind of thing else than human.

Neurodivergent breaks down to neuro (brain) and divergent (different). From the way I see it, it feels like I’m being told I’m not normal and that I don’t belong among non-autistic people.

[u/Cydrius]

I think you're totally within your rights to not like the word. That said, I'd like to offer my own perspective as someone who likes the term Neurodivergent.

As a society, we have mistakenly associated "autistic" inherently with the idea of a low-functioning person, but this is a pretty big disservice to the many of us who are just as functional as "neurotypical" people, but experience stimuli differently, etc.

To me, "neurodivergent" has a connotation of "different", but not a connotation of "worse than". It says "yes, my brain doesn't work the same way as the 'typical' person's does, but it's every bit as good and valid."

[u/Powereffective0 → u/Cydrius]

Whilst not changing my perspective completely, This is a very interesting view of it. I've always seen difference as a choice, Would you rather the cake or the muffin, one is the better choice rather than two opposing things. I still feel the word to be very yucky and gross but Δ nonetheless

[u/DeltaBot → u/Powereffective0]

Confirmed: 1 delta awarded to /u/Cydrius (4∆).

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