Spotting Neurodiversity As A Marketing Term
Differentiating between aligning with the neurodiversity paradigm versus using it as a meaningless catch phrase
Co-opting for branding
Since the Neurodiversity movement has become more widely known, I’ve noticed some organizations have co-opted the language as a form of marketing.
That’s gross.
I know this isn’t the first (nor the last) time this has happened to an oppressed group, but I wanted to ensure people are aware, so they can make informed decisions about which organizations they support, or where they seek support for their own families.
If you see large agencies or corporations using terms like “Neurodiversity”, ask yourself a few questions, perhaps do a little research on their website.
Do their practices match the philosophy, or do they claim to be “affirming” while promoting harmful behavioural therapies? What in their work or policies can they point to which confirms their commitment to supporting the autonomy of neurodivergent people?
What actions are they taking to lift the voices of marginalized groups, to make space for Neurodivergent people to share their lived experiences? What in their organizational policies and practices make it easier for ND people to work for them and use their services?
Do they actively support marginalized creators, entrepreneurs, and communities? Are they connected to the ND community in a meaningful way? Are they seeking to learn from people with lived experience?
Lastly, one of the biggest red flags is…
Do they even know how to use the terminology properly? Do they say “neurodiverse” instead of neurodivergent? Do they use neurodiversity as some catch-all phrase, without really understanding what it means?
To be clear
I’m not talking about newly-identified ND folks, or parents of ND kids, just starting out on their journey and genuinely trying to learn. We all started out with little to no knowledge and had to gradually shift our thinking, read lots of books, and learn a lot from ND communities.
I’m referring to agencies and corporations trying to profit off the neurodiversity movement. They’re throwing around ND terms, using them incorrectly, as a form of virtue signalling, or to convince people their services are neurodiversity-affirming (when they’re not).
Neurodiversity-affirming means we’re not pathologizing differences simply because they’re different. For example, we’re not trying to suppress perfectly harmless (and in fact, helpful) stims for the sake of “looking normal”.
We’re doing nothing which is only for the sake of looking normal.
Neurodiversity-affirming means we are respecting the autonomy and individuality of each person. Instead of therapies, we’re following their lead, their interests, and their goals for themselves.
We’re celebrating each person’s unique qualities and providing support and accommodations only when they want or need them, not when others feel they are warranted.
To fake affirming companies
We’re not here to increase traffic to your websites and social media accounts. We’re not here to boost your sales. If you knew anything about neurodiversity, you’d know that a hell of a lot of neurodivergent people are anti-capitalism, and probably wouldn’t support your business anyway.
We’re not here to help your virtue-signalling or marketing campaigns. We’re human beings. The neurodiversity movement is about questioning social norms and expectations; changing the way we view differences and disabilities.
Misusing ND terms, spreading misinformation, and faking support for our community causes us harm. If you care more about your bottom line than you do about human beings, then you’re part of the problem, and you don’t deserve to use symbols which represent equity, autonomy, and respect.
If you’re using neurodiversity as some half-assed catch phrase to boost your online presence, then take our infinity symbols off your graphics and shove — I mean, kindly step aside, and make room for neurodivergent businesses and creators who actually know what they’re doing when it comes to genuinely celebrating neurodiversity.
Kthnxbye.
© Jillian Enright, Neurodiversity MB
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