Educate Yourself
We thought an educational page might be helpful for some people, so here we go.
A note on the terms Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent, and Neurodiverse
Neurodiversity is the idea that differences in how human brains work are natural and expected — just like differences in height, skin tone, or personality. The term was coined in the late 1990s by Australian autistic sociologist Judy Singer.
Neurodiversity recognizes neurological differences such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome, apraxia, and more. It does not deny disability. Many neurodivergent people are disabled — often because the world is not built with us in mind. Both things can be true at the same time.
Neurodiversity isn’t about pretending challenges don’t exist. It’s about rejecting the idea that difference automatically equals defect.
Neurodivergent (ND)
A neurodivergent person is someone whose brain works differently from what society considers “typical.”
If you’re autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, dyspraxic, have Tourette’s, or fall outside neurotypical norms in similar ways, you are neurodivergent.
A person can be neurodivergent.
A person is not “neurodiverse.”
Neurodiverse
Neurodiverse describes a group, not an individual.
A classroom, workplace, family, or community is neurodiverse if it includes people with different neurotypes — neurodivergent and neurotypical.
Only groups are neurodiverse. People are neurodivergent.
A note on the terms Asperger’s and Aspie
Asperger syndrome was included in the DSM-IV in 1994 and removed in the DSM-5 in 2013. It is now considered part of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Some countries still use the diagnosis officially, though that is changing.
Historically, the term was used to describe autistic people with strong verbal and cognitive skills — often framed as “mild autism” or “high functioning.” That framing is deeply flawed.
Why this is complicated (and important)
Hans Asperger, the Austrian pediatrician the diagnosis is named after, was complicit in Nazi-era eugenics programs. He participated in systems that labeled disabled children as “valuable” or “burdensome,” and referred children to Am Spiegelgrund, a child euthanasia clinic where more than 800 children were murdered as part of Aktion T4.
Because of this history, many autistic people (myself included) strongly reject the terms Asperger’s and Aspie.
There’s also another issue: these terms have often been used to separate autistic people into a hierarchy — “more capable” vs. “less capable,” or “autistic but not that autistic.” This ignores reality.
Most autistic people mask — consciously or unconsciously hiding autistic traits to survive socially. Masking can make someone appear “high functioning” while doing serious damage to their mental health. Abilities also fluctuate day to day. There is no single, stable “functioning level.”
There is no better or worse kind of autism. Autism is autism — with different support needs, strengths, and challenges for each person.
So why does ND Renegade still carry Aspie designs?
Because identity is personal.
Many autistic people still identify with the term Aspie for valid reasons:
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It was their original diagnosis
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It’s still used where they live
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It helped them find community
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It feels safer or easier to disclose
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It’s part of how they understand their cognitive style
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Most of us just generally don’t embrace change.
ND Renegade is not here to police identity. We’re here to start conversations, share context, and respect autonomy. People get to choose the language that fits them — even when that language is complicated.
A note on the word Takiwātanga
Takiwātanga is a Māori word used to describe autism. It was coined by Keri Opai as part of Te Reo Hāpai – The Language of Enrichment, a glossary of Māori terms used in mental health, addiction, and disability contexts.
Takiwātanga roughly translates to:
“in their own space and time.”
We love this framing. It centers dignity, difference, and humanity — not deficit.
Keri Opai has given ND Renegade permission to use Takiwātanga on our clothing. Boo and Bear, the children of the original founder, are of Māori lineage and are actively learning about Māori culture and the ways Māori understand identity, community, and the world.
So
Language matters — but so does compassion.
You don’t need to memorize all of this to be respectful. What matters most is listening to neurodivergent people, staying curious, and being willing to update what you think you know.
That’s what we’re doing here too.