this post was submitted on 22 Apr 2025
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Neurodivergence
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All things neurodivergent and relating to the broader neurodivergent community (and communities).
See also this community's sister subs Feminism, LGBTQ+, Disability, and POC
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Comparing neurodivergence to the behavior of animals doesn't seem like the way towards understanding & acceptance.
Lighten up? There's obviously context we're missing, and the image was created by an org that works with children. I'd imagine the comparison with animals is to help neurodivergent children have a sense of reference if they aren't emotionally aware. It's also pretty clear this material isn't made to help neurotypicals "understand & accept" us.
It genuinely doesn't matter to me, I'm just pointing it out.
It's not really a fact you can just "point out" though? You're pointing out that an analogy is flawed, it just seems pedantic...
I'd like to refer you to all of history for what happens to marginalized groups when it becomes culturally acceptable to compare their behavior to animals.
You do you and whatever, but it doesn't matter who made this or with what intent, it's still comparing neurodivergent behavior to squirrels and beavers.
This has all the energy of the Texas furry ban.
And this has the energy of a dog whistle.
You seem intent on making this personal, and I'm not sure why. Either way, I'm not interested in "defending" a factual observation.
It's not really a factual observation to nitpick an analogy? As well, considering the org looks to be South African based, it also might be that your ascribing western values here when they don't fit.
It is fact this meme compares neurodivergence to animalistic behavior, but you clearly aren't interested. Instead, you've tried to insinuate racism. Another dog whistle, and another shot at my character.
You clearly have nothing useful to contribute to the conversation. You are not arguing in good faith. I will not continue entertaining you.
Some animals have stereotyped behaviors that are easier to understand as the bare behavior, than it is to explain a behavior on the example of "someone who looks like you, but see, they don't always behave or think like you do, you need to take into account personal differences, and not everyone's differences are the same as someone else's, so we will analyze particular behavior traits as..." ...but you've lost your audience at the first comma.
In any case, what shorthand placeholders would you suggest?
That's a good question and I'm not sure I have a good answer. I yearn for a time when we can talk about neurodivergence simply and in human terms. Doesn't "That person has a short attention span" get the point across without adding "... like a squirrel" to the end? It's a difficult conversation to have, as you've rightly pointed out, but I think if we keep having that talk we'll get better at it.
And now that you have me thinking about it, another thought: We also use animal analogies in positive ways like "she's a shark" or "he's lionhearted". I wonder if there's a happy middle ground somewhere. Can we find an analogy that works that doesn't equate someone to a rodent?