Beyond “Neurodiversity Lite”: Why Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice Matters

> The deeper work of neurodiversity-affirming practice is to dismantle systemic barriers, centre lived experience, and create cultures of genuine belonging. This is not just about survival, it is about cultivating spaces where we can thrive together. As bell hooks reminds us in All About Love (1999), “rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.” The neurodiversity movement embodies that communion, rooted in solidarity, sustained by interdependence, and alive with the possibility of creating a world where all neurodivergent and disabled people are valued, connected, and able to flourish in their own unique ways.