Nem Kearns:

I will start with language and then address the other question. To highlight what Ms McDonagh and Ms Hassett are saying, it is not just about language. We are trying to use language as a tool to shift perspective. I am a co-founder of Neuro Pride Ireland. The language of neuro-divergence is a fundamental shift from the idea that being neuro-divergent is a broken deficient version of being human towards believing there is diversity in humanity and these are all equally valid ways of being human. The science backs us up. Autistic people have been shown to be at least as effective at communicating with autistic people as non-autistic people are with non-autistic people. It is a communication breakdown with two different neuro types and the historical and ongoing view is that autistic people are the problem and that they cannot communicate. That does not work in a conversation. If you accept neuro-divergence, you really need to shift how you think. That will also shift the experiences of neuro-divergent people in the world and the supports that are offered. We really want to see a huge move away from social skills training for neuro-divergent people. It is quite insulting to be told that your social skills are less good and you have to communicate like us because we are the best at it. That was just a personal rant.