THE NEURODIVERSITY PARADIGM
Autistic Revolution supports the ideology of the neurodiversity paradigm, promotes, and supports equality for Autistic or otherwise neurodivergent people.
The social model of Disability embraces and accepts difference and places the onus on the political decision makers, educators, and medical professionals to make the changes necessary for disabled people to be able to have the same opportunities as neurotypical people. Not only have the same opportunities but to have equal rights to live, love, be employed, thrive, and be happy.
The medical model of disability is deeply ingrained into what society views as being "normal, influencing mindset, one's principles and influences the language we use to describe, write, talk about, measure against, compare and treat autistic people.
We thought it might be helpful to offer an explanation of the two models and offer an alternative Shift from the medical model to the social model of disability.
I have therefore sourced credible references to evidence the need for a shift in ideology. The first being my personal inspirational Autistic Scholar. Nick Walker.
https://neuroqueer.com/autism-and-the-pathology-paradigm/
In Nick Walker's words
"Discourse and education on autism, in the academic and professional realms, has thus far been dominated by what I have termed the pathology paradigm. At the root of the pathology paradigm is the assumption that there is one “right” style of human neurocognitive functioning. Variations in neurocognitive functioning that diverge substantially from socially constructed standards of “normal”—including the variations that constitute autism—are framed within this paradigm as medical pathologies, as deficits, damage, or “disorders.”
The term "Pathology Paradigm" in which Nick Walker has coined and writes about, refers to the Medical model of disability.
The scrutiny of the medical model originated in the psychiatry literature and has taken various forms since psychiatrist Thomas Szasz coined it in the mid-1950s....1950s!!!
In the 1960s and 1970s however, disabled people started to evaluate their lived experiences and why so many disabled/Neurodvergent people were sent away and excluded from society. Disabled people started to question how society viewed their lived experience and provided an alternative ideology in terms of How they should live, feel, work, react, develop, experience life.
Disabled people began to advocate for their rights and to actively express their views in terms of choice, protesting society's fixed views on being Disabled.
Born from this perspective came the ‘Disability People’s Rights Movement’. A more detailed version of my interpretation can be found here.
Section Subtitle
THE NEURODIVERSITY MOVEMENT
There are many versions on the internet of the social model of disability which all reach the same outcome in that being different from the dominant way of being should not be viewed has "having a condition or disorder" which require "treatment," "interventions" or Therapy/ABA(Applied Behavioral Therapy) for example, but rather a natural form of neurological difference which further enhances humanity as a whole.
In addition, the lack of inclusion and discriminating mindset across society is evidenced through neurotypical infrastructure. The presumption that everyone should follow one model of being can disable a person in terms of accessibility. Placing the onus on the disabled person to change their neurological genetic makeup to fall back in line with the dominant way of being.(Medical model)
Through our Autistic Revolution we will highlight how through the neurodiversity Paradigm aka the social model of disability, autistic and otherwise neurodivergent people live a more fulfilled, happier, healthier lives!!!
Jenny Loughran - Editor
References
https://neuroqueer.com/autism-and-the-pathology-paradigm/