Allow Neurodivergents the space to think outside the box
By: Wills Word - A Williams
Tags: Autism, Greta Thunberg, Neurodiversity, Workplace, Diversity

Allow Neurodivergents the space to think outside the box

One of the virtuous attributes and characteristics of an neurodivergent person (Autistic, ADHD, Dyspraxic, Dyslexic etc.) can be a sense of being able to think creatively and pick question things in a different way, the ability to think different. This is no means a special ability or something that all people with conditions listed above would state as personal qualities. However, being neurodivergent meaning having a different means of thinking and processing information from what by the majority view seen as the ‘typical’ means of thinking. Can attribute fo ability to think beyond or not grasp the consept to social constructs or having alternative views on such matters.

Yes autism is a disability and not a special ability. I loath the word special as it often when used to describe disabled people people with learning difficulties or disabilities as special when our needs are the same. However, we do require different adjustments and support for example due to sensory and social differences which is key of what makes autism a disability. Many preferring the social construct of disability rather than the medical construct. Most of the autistic community like myself proud and openly state we are disabled but to much of the challenges we find in society the inequalities, the inaccessibilities and ableism we face.

Being Neurodivergent makes me divergent from social norms and what is seem as the ‘typical’ way of thinking making us reflect on social constructs and ideals in different means. Paige Layla the autistic queen of Tik-Tok has become viral for a recent video she has made on the concept of money and gender. One of the challenges some autistic people face Thunberg the young autistic climate activist has been under mind and her knowledge has been criticised for engaging on in frank and honest discussions on climate change waging for radical action and stating governments enough. With opposition mainly from right-leaning cis gendered elder males via social media assuming she knew little about the environment and that she has been controlled to say the words of others, forced into activism.

When Greta’s story is far from that reality her family and her self speak of a period of the teenage activists period of ill health due to climate anxiety with concerns about her health once she stopped talking or eating a worrying period for her and her families mental health. Scared with the worlds worry on her shoulder. It can be common that quite a few of us autistics feel intense overwhelming emotions when seeing injustices occurring leading can lead to feelings of anxiety.

Its a common myth that autistic people are lacking empathy when it’s rather the opposite we can feel intense empathy but feel an intense wave of emotion and can find it challenging to witness and process injustices. This misconception comes from an inability to process ones emotions or and senses in the same way as most often. Experiencing burnout, shutdowns, panic attacks and moments of being unable to communicate due to the overwhelming sense of emotion.

Being divergent from social norms from personal observation. I understand that many of us don’t feel the desire to attach ourselves with social identity norms with from what I seen quite a few in the community identity as LBTQIA+ or as gender-fluid snd non-binary. From my personal observations seem more likely to accept socially liberal ideals.

Many of us don’t mince our words or speak more radically, Greta Thunberg’s famous words “How dare you!” ring true with this making the bold claim that her childhood is being ripped away with the urgency before it’s too late to call on world. Denying to being a leader of the fight back against climate change has inspired a generation of young people to come out in acts of rebellion to take strike action from school. Something without herd autism she might’ve not even thought about or even felt she had the audacity to do. To become the worlds most iconic teenager, the worlds most iconic activist and the person who could bring autistic women and girls into the spotlight.

Greta Thunberg, herself has described her autism as a superpower which I know would have mixed feelings in the community. Since often when non autistic people refer to autistic people as having superpowers and special abilities crosses over and has paradoxes with ableist inspirational porn and patronising autistic people. However, what Thunberg has done without her activism has highlighted and hopefully resonated with many autistic people and autistic women and girls. As an autistic person myself to have TIME Person of The Year being Greta filled me with a sense of pride. That a young autistic woman has found the her platform though has been talked down and over by nay-sayers including the president Donald Trump with which she had disdain for after he told her to chill out with some old movies with friends.

Thunberg and Layla to me represent a tour de force in the generation of young autistic people. Who are finding their platform to speak ideas outside the box. Neurodivergent people need a space where we can excel to the best of our abilities.

When I watched Layle’s viral Tik-Tok on whilst understanding the concept of what value of currency of economics. She made a point that she didn’t she sense in how different cash notes are different by the value and question why we can’t produce more money. Reason being if for example the Bank of England were to print more bank notes than what is in circulation to funnel money into the economy the value of the pound would decrease. Some saw her video as a sign of that she knew nothing about economics and others saw she had a compelling argument. One no different than profoundly questioning human made social constructs than when Hobbs and Rawls created hypothetical social contracts to answer the question why are we governed. From engaging in the autistic community many autistic people have many closely held strong views and opinions but willing to ask big questions. Harnessing skills as lateral critical thinking what to some could be an ignorant of the concept of economics. It seemed Layla made a juxtaposition and saw if I could imply the inequality that is in the current economic and system of money.

Economics is flawed. Often much of business and economy discriminates against disabled people U.K. National Autistic Society has stated 16% of autistic people are in work and 77% of those unemployed would wish to enter the world of work (BBC Work Life 101, Oct 2019). The coronavirus sees an employment crisis the biggest seen in a generation. Rebuilding the economy must answer this question how can work be accessible for disabled people. Harvard University and BIMA have reportedly shown in research that employing neurodivergent people attribute skills that most workplaces require especially when faced with the challenges our society faced today. Research has proven hiring neurodivergent people have the skills of problem solving and innovation.

So why aren’t companies hiring more Neurodivergent people? Is what needs to be answered the industries that are likely to grow beyond the economic recovery after the coronavirus pandemic are likely to be technology and digital, pharmaceutical and green industries. The pandemic has proven many reasonable adjustments for disabled people can be put in place working from home where possible, flexible hours and using technology to aid in productivity. The future of the world of work is to be diverse and inclusive if we are to grow to be an accessible society. In diversity in the workplace cognitive which includes diverse genders, race and age this in hiring must include disability and Neurodivergency to think beyond the box.

Something I want to advocate for if we are to achieve outside of the box thinking. Neurodivergent people deserve to be heard and must be heard in positions of power. As voices like Thunberg and Layle are leading this generation and hopefully this will be a moment where the door is opened for neurodivergents to be heard