Our Values Are

Historical Context

The phrase "Neurodivergence Is A Superpower" represents a profound shift in how society understands and values cognitive differences. This empowering framing stands in stark contrast to centuries of medicalization, stigmatization, and exclusion of people with neurological differences. Understanding the significance of this affirmation requires tracing the evolution of how neurodivergent conditions have been perceived and treated throughout history.

For much of recorded history, neurological differences that today might be recognized as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or other neurodivergent conditions were either unrecognized as distinct neurotypes or treated as defects, illnesses, or even signs of moral failing or demonic possession.1 People with visible neurodivergent traits often faced institutionalization, abusive "treatments," social ostracism, or worse.

The modern medical understanding of these conditions began to emerge in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1887, Dr. John Langdon Down (who had earlier described Down syndrome) published observations of what would later be recognized as autistic traits. In 1902, British pediatrician George Still described symptoms now associated with ADHD. Dyslexia was first identified as a distinct condition in 1881 by Oswald Berkhan, and more fully described by Rudolf Berlin in 1887.2

Throughout much of the 20th century, these conditions were primarily viewed through a medical or pathological lens—as disorders, deficits, or disabilities requiring treatment or cure. The diagnostic frameworks, language, and approaches centered around what neurodivergent people lacked or struggled with, rather than their unique perspectives or strengths.3

The concept of neurodiversity itself—the idea that neurological differences are normal variations in the human genome rather than defects—emerged in the late 1990s. The term was coined by Australian sociologist Judy Singer, who herself is autistic, in her 1998 thesis and further developed in a chapter she wrote for the book "Disability Discourse."4 Singer's work was influenced by the social model of disability, which distinguishes between bodily impairments and the social conditions that disable people with those impairments.

Around the same time, journalist Harvey Blume helped popularize the term in a 1998 article in The Atlantic, writing: "Neurodiversity may be every bit as crucial for the human race as biodiversity is for life in general. Who can say what form of wiring will prove best at any given moment?"5

The neurodiversity movement gained momentum in the early 2000s, particularly within autistic self-advocacy communities. Organizations like the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (founded in 2006) advanced the principle "Nothing About Us Without Us," challenging the dominance of parent-led and professional-led autism organizations that often focused on finding cures rather than acceptance and accommodation.6

The concept gradually expanded beyond autism to encompass other neurological differences, including ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, and Tourette syndrome, among others. This broader neurodiversity paradigm rejected the assumption that there is one "normal" or "healthy" type of brain or mind, or one "right" style of neurocognitive functioning.7

The framing of neurodivergence as a "superpower" represents the most recent evolution in this conceptual journey—moving beyond mere tolerance or acceptance to active celebration of the unique strengths, abilities, and perspectives that can come with neurological differences. This perspective acknowledges that many renowned innovators, artists, scientists, and leaders throughout history have displayed traits associated with neurodivergent conditions, and that these traits likely contributed to their exceptional contributions.8

This reframing is not meant to deny the very real challenges that neurodivergent individuals face, many of which stem from navigating environments and systems designed exclusively for neurotypical minds. Rather, it highlights that many of these challenges are contextual rather than inherent, and that neurodivergent traits can be tremendous assets in the right environments with appropriate supports and accommodations.9

The "superpower" framing also resonates with the growing recognition in fields ranging from business to science that cognitive diversity—having teams with different thinking styles, perspectives, and problem-solving approaches—leads to greater innovation, creativity, and resilience. In this light, neurodivergent individuals bring valuable cognitive diversity that enhances collective intelligence and capability.10

As this historical context illustrates, "Neurodivergence Is A Superpower" represents not just a positive affirmation but a revolutionary reconceptualization—one that rejects centuries of pathologization and exclusion in favor of recognizing and celebrating the unique contributions that different types of minds can make to our shared human enterprise.

Current Challenges

Despite growing recognition of neurodivergent strengths, significant challenges remain in fully realizing the potential of neurodivergent individuals and creating a truly neuro-inclusive society:

Persistent Medical Model and Deficit Focus

While the neurodiversity paradigm has gained traction, the dominant framing of conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia in medical, educational, and popular contexts often remains focused on deficits, challenges, and "symptoms" requiring intervention. Diagnostic criteria and assessment tools typically emphasize what neurodivergent people can't do rather than their unique abilities or different ways of processing and experiencing the world.11

Research funding similarly reflects this bias, with significantly more resources dedicated to identifying "causes," "risk factors," and potential "cures" than to understanding neurodivergent strengths or developing better accommodations and supports.12 In some cases, selective abortion following prenatal testing threatens the very existence of certain neurodivergent populations, raising profound ethical questions about neurodiversity as a form of human diversity worth preserving.13

Educational Systems Designed for Neurotypical Minds

Conventional educational environments—with their emphasis on standardized testing, sustained attention to potentially uninteresting material, limited physical movement, and particular forms of social interaction—often create significant barriers for neurodivergent students. Many schools still lack appropriate accommodations, supports, or understanding of neurodivergent learning styles.14

This mismatch between neurodivergent cognitive styles and educational environments leads to troubling outcomes. Students with ADHD, autism, and learning disabilities experience higher rates of disciplinary actions, academic failure, and school pushout despite often having average or above-average intelligence.15 Even those who succeed academically may do so at great personal cost, developing anxiety, depression, or burnout from the constant effort to conform to neurotypical expectations.

Employment Discrimination and Underutilization

Neurodivergent individuals face significant employment challenges, with disproportionately high unemployment and underemployment rates. For example, only about 14-15% of autistic adults in the United States are in full-time paid employment, despite many having valuable skills and higher education.16

Conventional hiring practices—particularly unstructured interviews that prioritize social performance and "culture fit" over actual job-relevant skills—create significant barriers. Once employed, neurodivergent individuals often face workplace environments that fail to accommodate their needs or leverage their strengths, leading to lower job satisfaction, higher turnover, and missed opportunities for both the individual and the organization.17

This simultaneous over-representation in unemployment statistics and under-utilization in the workplace represents both a human rights concern and a significant waste of talent and potential.

Social Stigma and Misunderstanding

Despite increased awareness, neurodivergent individuals continue to face stigma, stereotyping, and misunderstanding in social contexts. Media representations often reinforce stereotypes (like the "autism savant" or the "scattered, irresponsible person with ADHD") that fail to capture the diversity within neurodivergent populations.18

Neurodivergent social differences are frequently misinterpreted as rudeness, lack of empathy, or disinterest, leading to social rejection and isolation. The pressure to engage in "masking" or "camouflaging"—suppressing natural neurodivergent traits and performing neurotypical behaviors—takes a significant psychological toll, contributing to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidality among neurodivergent populations.19

Healthcare Disparities and Diagnostic Barriers

Access to appropriate diagnosis and support varies dramatically based on factors including race, gender, socioeconomic status, geographical location, and presentation of traits. For example, white boys are much more likely to receive timely autism diagnoses than girls or children of color with identical traits.20

Many diagnostic criteria were developed based on observations of white, male, middle-class children, leading to persistent under-diagnosis of females, people of color, adults, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Without accurate diagnosis, many neurodivergent individuals cannot access appropriate accommodations, supports, or communities.21

Additionally, healthcare providers often lack adequate training in neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly in how they present in underdiagnosed populations or co-occur with other conditions. This can lead to misdiagnosis, inappropriate treatments, or dismissal of legitimate concerns.

Intersectionality and Compounded Marginalization

Neurodivergent individuals with multiple marginalized identities often face compounded discrimination and barriers. For example, neurodivergent people of color must navigate both ableism and racism, while neurodivergent LGBTQ+ individuals contend with additional layers of potential rejection and misunderstanding.22

These intersectional challenges remain underresearched and inadequately addressed in many neurodiversity advocacy contexts, which have historically centered the experiences of white, middle-class, speaking autistic individuals.

Overemphasis on "Exceptional" Abilities

While the "superpower" framing has helped highlight neurodivergent strengths, it sometimes overemphasizes exceptional abilities or savant skills possessed by only a small percentage of neurodivergent individuals. This can create unrealistic expectations and devalue neurodivergent people who don't display obvious exceptional talents.23

The most valuable neurodivergent contributions often come not from rare savant abilities but from different ways of processing information, approaching problems, and experiencing the world—differences that are more subtle but no less valuable when properly understood and leveraged.

What We Can Do

Advancing the recognition that "Neurodivergence Is A Superpower" requires action at multiple levels:

Individual Actions

• Educate yourself about neurodiversity through resources created by neurodivergent individuals rather than relying solely on clinical or pathologizing perspectives.

• Examine your assumptions about "normal" or "appropriate" communication, learning, working, and socializing styles, recognizing that these are largely cultural constructs rather than universal standards.

• Practice inclusive communication that accommodates different processing styles, such as providing written information along with verbal instructions, allowing processing time before expecting responses, and being direct rather than relying heavily on subtext or implication.

• Respect neurodivergent communication preferences, which might include alternative forms of communication (text-based communication, AAC devices), different patterns of eye contact or physical proximity, or preferences around touch and sensory input.

• Advocate for neurodivergent colleagues, students, or family members when you notice barriers to their full participation or when their strengths are being overlooked.

Educational Actions

• Implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles that provide multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression, allowing students to learn and demonstrate knowledge in ways that work best for their neurotype.24

• Focus on strengths and interests rather than deficits, using neurodivergent students' areas of passion as gateways to broader learning and skill development.

• Provide appropriate accommodations such as flexible seating, movement breaks, noise-canceling headphones, note-taking assistance, extra time for processing or completing assignments, and alternative testing formats.

• Incorporate neurodiversity education into curriculum for all students, helping both neurodivergent and neurotypical students understand and value different types of minds.

• Support neurodivergent educators who can serve as role models and bring valuable perspectives to educational practices and policies.

Workplace Actions

• Revise hiring practices to focus on skills and abilities rather than social performance or "culture fit," using job trials, portfolio reviews, or skill-based assessments rather than relying primarily on traditional interviews.

• Create sensory-friendly work environments with options for reduced noise, natural lighting, minimal visual clutter, and spaces for movement or sensory regulation when needed.

• Implement flexible work arrangements that allow employees to work in ways that maximize their productivity and well-being, whether that means flexible hours, remote work options, or alternative communication methods.

• Provide clear expectations and feedback with explicit instructions, well-defined priorities, and concrete rather than abstract guidance.

• Develop neurodiversity-affirming management practices that recognize and leverage different cognitive styles, allowing team members to contribute in ways that play to their strengths.

Healthcare Actions

• Support neurodiversity-affirming healthcare approaches that respect neurodivergent differences rather than pathologizing them, while still addressing co-occurring conditions or aspects that cause genuine distress.

• Advocate for expanded diagnostic criteria that better capture how neurodivergent conditions present across genders, races, ages, and cultures.

• Promote research into neurodivergent strengths, effective accommodations, and quality-of-life improvements rather than focusing exclusively on causes, prevention, or "cures."

• Develop better training for healthcare providers on recognizing and appropriately supporting neurodivergent patients across the lifespan.

• Address healthcare disparities that affect diagnosis and support for neurodivergent individuals from marginalized communities.

Media and Cultural Actions

• Support authentic representation of neurodivergent individuals in media, including works created by neurodivergent artists, writers, actors, and directors.

• Challenge stereotypes and stigma when you encounter them in media, public discourse, or private conversations.

• Amplify neurodivergent voices and perspectives by sharing, citing, and recommending work by neurodivergent creators.

• Create neurodivergent-friendly cultural events with sensory-friendly options, clear scheduling information, and accommodations for different processing and interaction styles.

• Celebrate neurodivergent contributions to art, science, technology, and other fields, highlighting how different cognitive styles have enriched human knowledge and culture.

Policy Actions

• Advocate for inclusive education policies that ensure neurodivergent students receive appropriate accommodations, supports, and opportunities.

• Support employment non-discrimination protections that explicitly include neurodevelopmental conditions.

• Push for healthcare policies that improve access to diagnosis, support, and accommodations for neurodivergent individuals regardless of age, gender, race, or socioeconomic status.

• Promote accessible public spaces that consider neurodivergent sensory and processing needs in their design.

• Advance self-determination policies that respect neurodivergent individuals' right to make decisions about their own lives, with appropriate supports when needed.

Organizations Supporting Neurodiversity

If you're looking to support or learn more about neurodiversity initiatives, these organizations are doing important work:

Neurodivergent-Led Organizations

• Autistic Self Advocacy Network - Organization run by and for autistic people, promoting acceptance, access, and empowerment

• ADHD Women's Palooza - Educational summits and resources by and for women with ADHD

• Neuroclastic - Platform providing education, resources, and advocacy by Actually Autistic voices

• Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network - Community supporting autistic women, transgender, and nonbinary individuals

• International Dyslexia Association - Organization providing education, advocacy, and resources related to dyslexia

Education and Employment Organizations

• Landmark College - College specifically designed for students with learning differences

• Specialisterne - Social enterprise working to enable one million jobs for neurodivergent people

• neurodiversity.jobs - Job platform connecting neurodivergent talent with inclusive employers

• CAST - Organization developing and promoting Universal Design for Learning

• Eye to Eye - Mentoring program pairing students with learning differences with similarly identified college students

Research and Resource Organizations

• AANE (Asperger/Autism Network) - Organization providing education, community, and resources

• Made By Dyslexia - Global charity led by successful dyslexic individuals changing perceptions of dyslexia

• The Dyspraxia Foundation - Organization supporting individuals affected by developmental coordination disorder/dyspraxia

• CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD) - Organization providing education, advocacy, and support for ADHD

• Tourette Association of America - Organization supporting individuals with Tourette syndrome and tic disorders

Conclusion

The declaration that "Neurodivergence Is A Superpower" represents a profound reframing of how we understand and value cognitive differences. Rather than viewing conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others as deficits or disorders that need to be fixed, this perspective recognizes the unique strengths, abilities, and perspectives that neurodivergent individuals bring to our collective human experience.

This is not to romanticize the very real challenges that neurodivergent individuals face—many of which stem from navigating environments, systems, and expectations designed exclusively for neurotypical minds. Rather, it acknowledges that with appropriate supports, accommodations, and opportunities, neurodivergent traits can become tremendous assets that benefit both individuals and society as a whole.

As we display the Our Values Are image with its affirmation that "NEURODIVERGENCE IS A SUPERPOWER," we commit to moving beyond mere tolerance toward genuine appreciation of cognitive diversity. We recognize that different ways of thinking, perceiving, processing, and experiencing the world are essential for innovation, creativity, and adaptability—qualities our complex world desperately needs.

By understanding the historical context of how neurodivergent conditions have been perceived, recognizing current challenges, and taking concrete actions at multiple levels, each of us can contribute to building a more neuro-inclusive world. This work benefits not only neurodivergent individuals but enriches all of us through the diversity of perspectives, approaches, and talents that different types of minds bring to our shared human enterprise.

In a time when conformity is often valued over creativity and standardization over innovation, asserting that "Neurodivergence Is A Superpower" represents a necessary counterbalance. It reminds us that human cognitive diversity, like biodiversity in nature, creates resilience, adaptability, and possibilities that would be impossible in a more homogeneous system.

By creating environments where neurodivergent individuals can thrive and contribute their unique perspectives, we don't just support a marginalized population—we unlock human potential that benefits us all.

References

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