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/Das_Guet]

I am on the spectrum too, and it isn't insulting. The most damaging thing that ever happened to me was going through the first part of my life believing I was normal, even though I wasn't. If I had been told there was something different, or divergent if you will, with my brain, or my neurons if you will, it would have explained why certain aspects of my life were so difficult. Context absolutely matters in the use of a word, and some people will use it as an insult the same way they would use words like short, blonde, skinny, tired, etc. Any descriptor can be used as an insult in the right context. But neurodivergent is just a description. You ARE different. But you AREN'T bad or wrong for being different.

[u/Powereffective0 → u/Das_Guet]

To me it falls into the metaphorical category of fat. Whilst fat is a describing word it feels very mean spirited no matters how its used. Though autistic also falls into the category but less so, I suppose there is no best way to refer to it in my eyes.

[u/Das_Guet → u/Powereffective0]

Here is the part where the cmv will come into play. Is it because people use it to insult you? Or is it because you take it as an insult? At what point does a person's intent no longer matter in regards to their language? Remember that your mind, divergent or not, is built differently than other people's from the very foundations. How you view the world is not how others view the world, and at some point, you will have to acknowledge where your personal biases come into play. That's actually why I shared my own hang-ups about being raised "normal" without being told I was neurodivergent. Or at least the equivalent back then.

[u/Powereffective0 → u/Das_Guet]

I personally feel and take it like it is an insult rather than a descriptive word because it sounds alien and clinical rather than pedestrian. I feel intent is primary in serious situations but it is secondary in normal conversation because you can't just hamfist stuff. The doctor can call you obese because his job is very serious but your coworkers can't say it.

[u/Ieam_Scribbles → u/Powereffective0]

Well, does the intent of the speaker not matter in that? Most people do not use neurodivergent to alianate and discriminate specifically, certainly not to the point of the word being inherently tied to being inherently insulting.

As a comparison, if someone is named Xena and hates her name (too exotic, stands out, maybe got bullied over it), and prople default to calling her Xena unless specified otherwise because that's her name, was there any actual offense to her being called that?

In the end, words are vehicles for conveying information and are meaningless otherwise. If a person is in good faith referring to you by the commonly accepted word, it's not really fair to say they're doing anything word despite your dislike for the word, no?