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Allyship is an action, not a label. Being an ally means actively engaging and supporting the LGBTQ+ and/neurodivergent community. This means challenging comments made by your friends, family, and co-workers when they use offensive language. It is also means supporting LGBTQ+ people, understanding the history, amplifying neurodivergent and queer voices, and celebrating diversity every day.

When someone refers to another person using the wrong pronouns, this can lead to that person feeling disrespected and can lead to dysphoria, exclusion, and alienation. In particular, for those who are transgender, nonbinary or gender non-conforming, incorrect use of personal pronouns can be offensive or even harmful to their wellbeing.  

Although we associate coming out primarily with the LGBTQ+ community, it could be argued that the ‘coming out process’ could be likened to the ‘disclosure’ of neurodivergence in education and the workplace.

Stress is universal in our complex world and we all experience it at some point. Often, the experience of stress for someone who is neurodiverse (ND) will be similar to the way a neurotypical person experiences the same situation, yet there are also important differences.

When I grow up I want to be a cat’ is all about surviving the education system with Aspergers Syndrome. Not only does the book give my own unique perspective, of my time from Nursery school to University, it interviews nine other individuals on the spectrum about their experiences too.

Neurodivergent thinkers and learners often struggle with lifelong stress. But is it the Neurodiversity that causes the stress or the stress that creates Neurodiversity? 

I was told by the GP I was seeing at the time that disclosing my diagnosis could have significant career ramifications in the future; I was a ‘bright enough girl’ and this sort of ‘label’ could have catastrophic influence on the views of future employers, as people would make prior judgements surrounding my capabilities.