A neurodivergent categorization of people on the autism spectrum means that people on the spectrum have different brains, and their brains diverge from the norm. This uniqueness can manifest in unique ways for various individuals; however, many people on the spectrum, such as myself, either rebel or distract and craftily change the direction of what others ask of them.

This talented shuffle appears in various ways; for example, some people with disabilities take their greatest strength and hyper-focus on what they excel in. Some people on the spectrum are excellent at math, music, science, sports, or other areas. Everyone, disabled or non-disabled, has something they can achieve talentedly. They fit into a unique niche, whereas a non-neurodivergent may not have the ‘touch’ that people on the spectrum bring to their passions.

For example, I’m immovable and choose to do things my way. I took guitar lessons for twelve years. I never practiced scales or cover songs. Even though my poor job of practicing guitar scales hurt me as a musician, it didn’t mean I didn’t succeed at learning something. Instead, I wrote songs and became a seasoned singer-songwriter.

Neurodivergence can be difficult; labeling yourself as someone who is on the autism spectrum can be even more challenging. Using the word neurodivergent makes all the difference because when we use the phrase autism spectrum, negative judgment tends to come more readily. Imagine if we used the phrase neurodivergence instead of the autism spectrum.

If someone asks me what my disability is, I say I am neurodivergent, which means my brain works differently. As a person with a disability, if someone asks you what your disability is, you can say I’d rather not disclose; that’s perfectly fine. However, In my opinion, when we use the term neurodivergence, we invite understanding.

We are not our disability, so why would we label ourselves? Just because we have been diagnosed with a disability doesn’t mean we have to use the term to describe ourselves. People are not textbooks, and we don’t need to explain theories to anyone as to why we are who we are. Our disability doesn’t define us; our humanity does. We are all unique mysteries, peeling back layers one at a time and discovering who we are on our terms.

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