We’re all deviations from an assumed norm.

There are numerous opinions about neurodiversity and its place in society. Phrases like “We didn’t have that in my day” frame it as a fad, even though genetic research suggests neurodivergence has been part of humanity since prehistory. The label “neurodevelopmental disorder” helps allocate care and guide research, but how objective is that diagnostic threshold, and how does it shape the way we think about difference? In an age that values self-advocacy, self-diagnosis offers a way to define ourselves on our own terms, rather than by how much we inconvenience others. Still, it is worth asking whether self-diagnosis is shaped more by a romanticising of difference, by stereotypes of neurodivergence, or by an aesthetic appreciation of quirkiness, than by true inclusivity.

This workbook grounds neurodiversity in neurogenetics and adopts the perspective that neurodivergence is a natural part of human variation. At the same time, it holds that a person's dignity should never be defined by their genetic makeup. You’ll find a discussion of gene-environment interactions and be invited to wonder whether diagnoses for conditions that shape our inner world are more a matter of interpretation than a science of certainty. The workbook also encourages you to notice how the roles we assign to neurodivergence reflect the values our society chooses to uphold. Throughout, you’ll find questions to help you reflect on how these insights might matter for everyone, not just those who identify as neurodivergent.