Neurodiversity Week: What Being Neurodivergent Actually Means
- VHC team
- Mar 17
- 3 min read
This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week, a global initiative that encourages people to rethink how we understand neurological differences.
It was founded in 2018 by Siena Castellon, with the aim of challenging stereotypes and creating space to recognise the strengths, perspectives, and talents of neurodivergent people. Across schools, universities, workplaces, and communities, the week invites us to move beyond simple awareness and start thinking more seriously about inclusion.
In Australia, this week also overlaps with Harmony Week, which celebrates cultural diversity and belonging across our communities. When we talk about diversity, we often think about culture, language, or background. But diversity also exists in the way our brains work.
So today we want to take a step back and look at what being neurodivergent actually means, and how intersectionality plays a role in people’s experiences.
What Does "Neurodivergent" Actually Mean?
The word neurodivergent is used to describe people whose brains work differently from what society typically considers “standard” or “typical.”
It’s not a diagnosis, and there isn’t a strict clinical definition. Instead, it’s an umbrella term that recognises the natural variation in how human brains develop and function.
Neurodivergence can include people with experiences or diagnoses such as:
Autism
ADHD
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
Dyscalculia
Tourette syndrome
…and many other neurological or cognitive differences.
On the flip side, you might hear the word neurotypical, which refers to people whose ways of thinking and processing the world fall within what society generally considers typical.
Why Language Matters
Within many neurodivergent communities, identity-first language is commonly preferred.
You might hear people describe themselves as:
Autistic
An ADHDer
A neurodivergent person
For many people, this language reflects the idea that neurodivergence isn’t something separate from who they are. It’s part of how they think, process the world, and experience life.
Historically, person-first language such as “person with autism” was encouraged in an effort to emphasise the person rather than the condition. However, many autistic self-advocates have pointed out that autism isn’t something that can be separated from the person.
Just as culture, personality, or background shape how someone experiences the world, so does their neurotype.
That said, language preferences vary. Some people prefer person-first language, others prefer identity-first. The most respectful approach is usually the simplest one: listen to how people describe themselves and follow their lead.
What Neuro-Affirming Support Is (and Is Not)
As conversations about neurodiversity have grown, you may also have come across the term neuro-affirming support.
Put simply, neuro-affirming approaches start from the idea that neurological differences are a natural part of human diversity, not something that needs to be corrected or erased.
That doesn’t mean ignoring challenges. Many neurodivergent people do experience real barriers in education, workplaces, healthcare, and everyday life. Instead, neuro-affirming support focuses on reducing those barriers and helping people navigate a world that isn’t always built with them in mind.
In practice, that might involve things like:
understanding sensory needs and adjusting environments
supporting executive functioning and organisation
recognising burnout and capacity limits
building self-advocacy skills
helping people identify and work with their strengths
Neurodiversity and Intersectionality
Australia is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics:
Over 29% of Australians were born overseas
Nearly half of Australians have at least one parent born overseas
More than one in five Australians speak a language other than English at home
When we think about diversity in this context, it becomes clear that identity rarely exists in neat categories. People’s experiences are shaped by multiple aspects of who they are, whether that be culture, language, disability, gender, background, and more. These intersections can influence how people are understood, supported, or sometimes misunderstood in systems like education, healthcare, and employment.
Recognising these intersections helps us see that inclusion isn’t just about awareness, it’s about how our systems, communities, and everyday environments operate. When we understand the full context of people’s experiences, we’re better placed to create spaces where more people can belong.
Moving Beyond Awareness
Neurodiversity Celebration Week is often framed as an awareness event, and while we need to keep raising awareness, we also need to move beyond.
Real change happens when awareness translates into action. When policies shift, environments become more flexible, and people feel safe asking for what they need. Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come, and to keep working toward building communities where more people feel understood and supported.
Comments