Neurodiversity status
Why is being considered ‘Neurotypical’ seen as a privilege?
DEFINITION
Neurodiversity is defined as the range of differences in individual brain function and behavioural traits, regarded as part of the variation in the human population.
Why is being Neurotypical a privilege?
Someone within the ‘neurotypical’ range more readily meets expectations around how we learn, communicate, and problem-solve. Therefore, having a brain that works within this ‘neurotypical’ range is a privilege. Neurotypicals are likely to perform well in classical education systems and in the ‘ways of working’ society prioritises. Consequently, they do not face the same barriers, stigma or discrimination that a person who has a neurodistinct identity is likely to experience.
WHAT IS YOUR PRIVILEGE:
- I do not have additional hurdles to manage in my day-to-day life because of the way my brain is wired
- As a person within the neurotypical range, I do not face any stigma related to how my brain works, nor do I have to worry about this aspect in my personal or professional life.
- I do not have to disclose my neurodiversity status in either an educational or workplace setting. Nor do I have to ask for accommodations or additional considerations because I am neurotypical.
Stats Don’t Lie
- Neurodistinct people represent roughly 20% of the population, cutting across race, gender, age, and sexual orientation. Yet, unemployment rates for neurodistinct people run as high as 80% (Korn Ferry Institute, n.d.)
- A 2019 report on the digital and technology sector found that 39% of neurodistinct professionals had not disclosed at work. (BIMA, 2019)
- Neurodistinct professionals were found to have a much higher incidence of anxiety and depression, at 84% compared with 49% among their neurotypical colleagues. (BIMA, 2019)
