We are here, we are queer…and neurodivergent. Those two things are not separate from one another. They go together like love and gay marriage 😉 It’s bisexual awareness week and we are celebrating by talking about understanding ourselves as queer beings from childhood right up to today. We share our personal stories, but also some emerging science addressing this specific intersection and how it affects the care we receive. Jump down this rabbit hole with us and see what little nuggets we find to chew on along the way.
Don’t ignore the intersection of neurodivergence and queerness
Ignoring the intersectionality of neurodiversity and queerness denies neurodivergent folks access to the care, accomodations, and acceptance that we deserve. It is common for neurodivergent folks to ignore the heteronormative narrative whether that is with regards to their gender, sexual orientation, or what kind of relationships they—we—like to have. Molly flat out tells everyone to fork right off; she loves who she loves. And Angela wonders what could have been had she had this conversation 20 years ago.
Self diagnosis is valid
As with everything, gatekeeping happens, right? But, seriously, who gets to gatekeep your identity? Noone, that’s who! Molly said so, (29:33) “Self-diagnosis is important…because you know yourself, your thoughts and patterns.” Angela shares how she had to see several doctors as she advocated for herself and how their traditional vs holistic approaches made a difference in the diagnoses she received.
Sex has been pathologized
Speaking of self-diagnosis, does everything really need to be pathologized? We explore the links between the depathologization of homosexuality—we know, just because it is no longer a diagnosis in the DSM doesn’t mean many people still see it as a disorder, but getting it out of the DSM was a big step—and a similar narrative around autism and other forms of neurodivergence.
