one of these days im going to talk about how the idea of discrete, neatly identified, clearly seperate neurodivergencies as defined by diagnostic manuals does a lot of harm to people trying to figure out their brains.
"am I REALLY autistic or am I only VERY MUCH LIKE autistics?" should be a question as unnecessary as "am I REALLY gay or am I only having all the same experiences as gay people"
in queer identities, we have fought for the space to embrace chaos. unclear identities. changing your mind. changing as a person. mixing and matching words until something sounds right.
that is where we have to get with neurodivergencies.
"but you can't become ADHD later in life!"
"you can't be 'a little bit' borderline!"
and, pray tell, why the hell not? every argument for this is a tautology. because that's how we have defined it. not long ago it was impossible to be both ADHD & autistic
and, what's more, we need to stop letting them get away with tying our allowances for supports and accommodations to their catalogue of stigma (also known as the DSM).
this is bullshit, has always been bullshit, and I am tired of putting up with the bullshit
I think, as a summary, what I'm getting at is:
1. it's more important to find your PEOPLE than to find the WORDS.
2. it's more important to get the help you WANT and NEED than to have someone tell you "what's wrong with you".
3. diagnostic manuals do not reflect human experience.
The last line gets me every time.
Please, don't confront me with my failures
I have not forgotten them
@skye Hell. Yes.
All of this.
Brains are not simple. Bodies are not simple. Reality is not simple. I really wish the world would learn to quit trying to make everything simple.
Clean, organized taxonomies of existence are violence, full stop.
skye it/its 🏳️⚧️
Raymond
Amelia