Tag: neurodivergent

The ones we sent away

The author found out at age 12 that her mother had a sister who was institutionalized before age 2 with intellectual disabilities that left her unable to speak. She traces her aunt’s life through various institutions, most of them deplorable, and hears her mother’s grief over the separation from her only sibling. She contrasts the attitudes and treatment of such disabilities in the 1950’s through the 1980’s with much more open acceptance and inclusion of nonverbal persons in the 2020’s, based on a photo that went viral on Twitter. Detailed memoir of three generations’ relationships with the sister: the author’s grandmother, her mother, and herself. Traces the evolution of attitudes toward intellectual disabilities in the 20th and 21st centuries from close relationship to the issue, noting that children born today with her aunt’s condition are able to live much fuller lives because of greater inclusion in educational, social and family contexts. Includes many links to relevant sources, from memoir to scientific works. About 15 pages; also has audio version.

Neurodiversity Poems

This anthology houses a multitude of poems related to neurodivergence. The authors all have different backgrounds as this is an open site where anyone can publish their work. The site is searchable and poems are tagged. Some examples include a poem about masking, the perception of “normal,” and “praying for a neurotypical brain.” One poem details an individual’s experience with growing up and feeling like they constantly are on the outside looking in and having to hide aspects of themselves to fit in. This site could be utilized as a resource for creative writing in terms of neurodivergence. As poems from personal, first hand experiences of neurodivergence, they provide insight as to the nuances to individual experiences that caution us against generalizations and stereotypes.

Autism and Neurodiversity: Different Does Not Mean Broken.

In this TedTalk, Adriana White (librarian, former special education teacher, and author) discusses the idea of neurodiversity. She was diagnosed with autism and anxiety in her 30’s and now advocates for inclusive schools and libraries. Her talk includes stories of her own autistic experiences, including how others labeled and made fun of because of the way her brain works. This video could be utilized as a tool to investigate how medical diagnoses elicit certain stereotypes and biases, such as being denoted as a “weird” kid. Additionally it could be used as a way to create dialogue surrounding the cultural and societal norms that surround the ideas of being “normal” as well as raising questions about accommodations in the built environment and the social model of disability.

Neurodivergent Narratives

Sandra Coral is a student, teacher, writer, podcaster, and learner all about neurodivergence. They have multiple social media sites (instagram, twitter, Facebook) that are publically accessible and focus on promoting education and awareness about neurodivergence. She is autistic and has ADHD and shares her own experiences via through written posts, videos, and podcasts on topics such as sensory processing, fitting in, masking, and burnout. Sandras’s sites could be utilized in a classroom setting as narratives from someone who is neurodivergent told in their own voice. The link below is to the Facebook page, where the About profile provides links to other platforms. Her social media posts are useful not only for discussing neurodivergent narratives, but also for reflecting on what constitutes a narrative (small individual posts retelling everyday life? the accumulation of posts over time?). In contrast, her Substack includes longer posts that more clearly resemble stories.

2020 was One of the Best Years of My Life

Inêz Mália Sarmento is disabled autistic author who describes how her experience during the pandemic included growth and development. “It helped me understand even more that the world was ready, it just wasn’t using its resources the right way, meaning, the world could be accessible for everyone if we wanted it to be. That made me feel a bit resentful. But it also gave me the fuel I needed to keep pushing against the grain.” As a result of this access, she finished high school, began college, and made friends. She questions “going back to normal” and reducing these services.