Did you know that Albert Einstein had dyslexia? Did you know that Ryan Gosling has ADHD? Posters with facts like this are around the school thanks to the Turing Alliance, a club at Lexington High School which seeks to increase neurodiversity awareness. 

Neurodiversity is a term that describes how different people’s brains work in different ways. It is important to understand that these differences do not hinder someone’s capability and potential for success—in fact, they can actually be strengths. Nevertheless, there are many harmful stereotypes about neurodiverse individuals that suggest that they are not as capable as others, which is completely false. Luckily, LHS students are increasing neurodiversity awareness and debunking false stereotypes by educating others. I believe this will have immensely positive impacts on neurodiverse students at LHS.

The posters around school are part of an initiative known as Neurodiversity Celebration Week, which aims to encourage society to view neurodiversity in a more positive light. Other efforts have been underway as well: the Turing Alliance taught parents about neurodiversity at the Parent Academy, an annual event where LHS parents can take classes taught by various instructors. They also gave presentations on neurodiversity to LHS health classes.

For me, it is incredibly refreshing to see a growing awareness of neurodiversity around the school. Many people hold onto negative stereotypes and see neurodiversity as a weakness. Neurodiverse students may be bullied in school and misunderstood by adults. However, I believe that the most destructive aspect to negative stereotypes is that they may cause people to internalize false, harmful beliefs about themselves. In this case, pervasive negative messaging about neurodiverse people may cause them to incorrectly believe that they are less capable. Only education can drive out the ignorance that underlies these harmful stereotypes. Learning about successful individuals with autism, Tourette’s syndrome, and dyslexia spreads the message that neurodiversity and success are not opposites. They can come together, and understanding neurodiversity and how to harness the strengths that come with it can help to bring about this ideal to more people.

As a current student at LHS, my hope is that this is just the beginning. We have made a lot of progress in terms of neurodiversity awareness, but we can’t stop now. As scientists continue to research the strengths of neurodiversity and understand how to support neurodiverse individuals, it is up to us to continue to spread the message: neurodiversity is not a weakness. With the right support and mindset, it can be a strength.