What does "neurodivergent" mean?
To answer this question, we first need to define neuronormativity: “the set of social, political, cultural, and personal norms that privilege a [neurotypical] way of thinking, feeling, behaving, and communicating as superior to others” (as defined by Bárbara Herrán Salcedo / Autista Construyendo in Neurotypical People Are Not Trash).
So if we consider that neuronormativity privileges certain types of brains over others, we can divide all of human neurodiversity into two umbrella categories: neurodivergent and neurotypical. The term “neurodivergent” was coined in 2014 by Autistic advocate Kassiane Asasumasu to mean “neurologically divergent from typical“). The terms “neurotypical” and “neurodivergent” are neutral terms that describe how easily a brain can meet neuronormative standards. As such, no one type of brain is better or worse than any other if we remove the expectation of neuronormativity.
It's about more than Autism and ADHD.
Any individual that struggles to consistently meet neuronormative standards due to their neurotype can be considered neurodivergent. Neurodivergence can be either life-long (e.g., Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, etc.), or something that is acquired later in life (e.g., brain injury, stroke, dementia, etc.).
Neurotypical
an individual whose brain allows them to naturally meet neuronormative standards most of the time
Neurodivergent
an individual whose brain has difficulty meeting neuronormative standards in neurotypical ways some or all of the time
