Saturday, September 27, 2014

What are neurotypes?

Sometimes people in the neurodiversity movement will refer to "neurotypes". What are they?

Neurotypes are variations in how people's brains work. Since the brain is what makes us able to perceive the world, different neurotypes create different perspectives and experiences of the world.

Oftentimes, neurotypes that are not neurotypical are considered "disorders". The problem with that is that calling other neurotypes "disorders" implies that there is only one right neurotype. Ideas of "right" or "wrong" only exist in our minds, so that term lacks objectivity and may lead to biased views of and misunderstandings about all different kinds neurotypes. If more people referred to "disorders" as well as typical neurology as neurotypes, people would understand them better. Society would no longer consider neurodivergent individuals as inferior and neurotypical individuals as superior.

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