Neurodiversity is the diversity of human minds,
the infinite variation in neurocognitive functioning within our species
Nick Walker, 2014

“Neurodiversity” was coined in the 1990s, to make the point that being “neurologically typical” or NT, is only one way to be (Blume, 1997), and that humans have multiple ways of understanding and interacting with the world, based on their neurological wiring.

Initially, the idea of neurodiversity was used to distinguish between autistic people and those who are not (also called “allistic”). As time went by, other neurotypes were added to the non-NT categories, and the terms “neurodivergent” and “neurodivergence” were coined by Kassiane Asasumasu (Walker, 2014). 

Neurodivergent is then an umbrella term for different types of brains; most have been defined and are diagnosed under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM, now in its 5th Edition-Text Revision). These neurotypes include Autism, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Tourette’s Syndrome, Learning Disabilities such as Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia, Mental Health conditions such as mood and personality disorders, intellectual disabilities, among others (Cascio and Racine, 2025). Many neurodivergent people also have other traits such as sensory processing differences, synesthesia, or hyperlexia, which could increase the challenges they face in a neurotypical world.

Having those neurotypes categorized as disorder allows people to access medical and psychological resources as well as accommodations and supports under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) among others. At the same time, it has created significant stigma and discrimination against people diagnosed with those labels. 

For decades now, autistic people have advocated against the medicalization of non-typical neurotypes, and have written extensively on the topic, both seriously in academic journals and using parody (Vance, 2018).

Someone who has not been diagnosed with any condition would be considered neurotypical. However, there is no screening that can prove that someone is definitely neurotypical. Many people have been diagnosed with one or more neurological conditions late in life, meaning that they spent the majority of their life believing they were neurotypical. 

The Neurodiversity Movement

The Neurodiversity Movement is a social justice movement advocating for the acceptance and inclusion of neurodivergent people (McLennan et al., 2025). It recognizes that some characteristics of neurodivergent people are disabilities. Some of these disabilities are socially imposed and can be minimized or eliminated by social acceptance of those characteristics, e.g., by not demanding eye contact from autistic people. Others, like a certain difficulty to perceive time passing by, which happens to many ADHDers, create many practical difficulties, such as being constantly late. 

It is also important to recognize that people who identify as having a neurodivergence or as being neurodivergent belong to all types of ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, national origins, etc. The higher prevalence of diagnosis among certain groups is believed to be differences in access to diagnostic evaluations and mental health care, as well as some cultural factors that prevent people from seeking a diagnosis. 

It is not uncommon for people to self-identify as being neurodivergent after a loved one is diagnosed, or as they become more familiar with the different neurotypes. Obtaining a diagnosis can be costly and lengthy, and it is hard to find diagnosticians with experience evaluating adults who, having had to adapt to a neurotypical world, use a variety of compensatory mechanisms. Thus, many self-identified neurodivergent people don’t look for an official diagnosis.

These concepts have been described at length by:

• Nick Walker, in their blog Neuroqueer
• The National Autistic Society, Autism and Neurodiversity
• Neurodiversity Hub, About Neurodiversity
• Patrick Dwyer in his article “The Neurodiversity Approach(es): What Are They and What Do They Mean for Researchers?

References:

Blume H (1998). Neurodiversity: On the neurological underpinnings of geekdom. The Atlantic. Retrieved Nov 8th 2025 from https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1998/09/neurodiversity/305909/

Botha M, Chapman R, Giwa Onaiwu M, Kapp SK, Stannard Ashley A, Walker N. The neurodiversity concept was developed collectively: An overdue correction on the origins of neurodiversity theory. Autism. 2024 Jun;28(6):1591-1594. doi: 10.1177/13623613241237871. Epub 2024 Mar 12. PMID: 38470140. 

Cascio, M.A., & Racine, E. (2025). It’s a Neurodiverse World: Stories from Neurodivergent People. Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics 15(2), 79-83. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/nib.2025.a974061.

McLennan, H., Aberdein, R., Saggers, B. et al. Thirty Years on from Sinclair: A Scoping Review of Neurodiversity Definitions and Conceptualisations in Empirical Research. Rev J Autism Dev Disord (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-025-00493-2

Singer J (2020). Neurodiversity: Definitions and Discussion. Reflections on Neurodiversity. Retrieved Nov 8th 2025 from https://neurodiversity2.blogspot.com/p/what.html 

Vance T (2018). Allism Spectrum Disorders: A Parody. Neuroclastic. Retrieved Nov 8th 2025 from https://neuroclastic.com/allism-spectrum-disorders-a-parody/ 

Walker N (2014). Neurodiversity: Some Basic Terms and Definitions. Neuroqueer. Retrieved Nov 8th 2025 from https://neuroqueer.com/neurodiversity-terms-and-definitions/