I am autistic. In fact, I have a neurospicy family.
In public I often wear a pin that says “Autistic”. People notice. Sometimes they stare. Rarely they ask. That visibility is uncomfortable and useful at the same time — it is one reason I believe clothing can carry a message without needing a microphone.
I wear this pin and display the Autistic pin proudly, simply because it makes me unique and special. Another lesson from history, both past and recent, is that great minds in history were on the spectrum. Always ahead of the curve.
The hidden history of neurodivergence
The only thing that kept the average neurodivergent person hidden in their home was the fear of repression from society at being ‘weird’. The ones with the resources were able to avoid social exclusions and had the opportunity to gain fame. But now with the world becoming so small and everyone having access to so much information at their fingertips, and neurodivergence awareness on the rise, more people are coming out and identifying as themselves as neurodivergent.
The issue I take with today’s society is the speed at which neurodivergence is becoming normalised. I am going to bring it home straight. Homosexuals were looked down upon (and still are in many parts of the world). In the UK homosexuality was only decriminalised in 1967. Yet, nearly 60 years on, we still hear kids calling each other homosexual slang so as to cause offense.
My story
I’m in my mid-40’s and was only diagnosed a year ago. I worry for my children who are in the same boat as I.
I have felt ‘weird’ and ‘different’ all my life and now I have a name for it. I want my children to live in a world where neurodiversity is not a bad thing and a 10 year old’s school friends don’t say “are you autistic?” as a way to make them feel degraded. I want my children to live in a world where they don’t feel awkward if they are not masking themselves. I want my children to live in a world where meritocracy works and inability to network due to social inhibitions is not a cause for any concern.
The future: Neurodivergent Pride shirts
Longer term, I want to offer paid shirts for people who are proud to be neurodivergent and not afraid to show it — designs that say Neurodivergent, Autistic, ADHD, and similar, clearly and without apology. That shop is not the whole point of this site, but it is part of where this is going. At this present time the free history and fun designs come first.