Session: Neurodivergency: The Sunflower Human OS:
The word “neurodivergent” is a broad umbrella term covering multiple developmental disabilities all relating to variations in a person’s nervous system and means of information processing. The word can refer to people living with Autism and ADHD, people living with Tourette’s Syndrome, people with Dyslexia or Auditory Processing Disorder, and other conditions resulting from neurological departures from predefined patterns.
Though the concept of neurodivergence as label has existed for twenty-five years, a growing criticism and backlash has been building against both neurodivergent communities and individuals, as more seek accommodations in the workplace and larger culture for these invisible disabilities. Much of this backlash is driven by a lack of knowledge and understanding of both the broad concept and the many conditions contained within it.
This talk will present an introduction to neurodivergence, the many forms it takes, and the unique challenges faced by people whose brains aren’t aligned with the dominant human processing patterns but must still exist in group spaces.
