”The Normalisation Agenda and the Psycho-Emotional Disablement of Autistic People” explains that the dynamic qualities of autistic people are understood from the outside–particularly with regards to parents and those facilitating behavioral treatment for autistic people–as a pathological deficit. The assumption of deficit here forges a negative association between the diagnosis of autism and the ability to function; the diagnosis in these spaces represents a problem to be solved or otherwise treated and responded to. While diagnoses can indeed help tremendously with necessary treatment and can aid an individual who finds themselves having difficulty completing necessary tasks, it seems remiss to think of a diagnosis in such a light that it is solely the predecessor to an attempt at changing the self/the self’s habits. Diagnosis can function as a powerful tool for crafting and strengthening one’s sense of self and consequently membership in a community. There’s a great deal of validation, too, that comes with having an explanation in some capacity for traits and habits that larger society (and potentially the individual themselves) might fail to understand.

I remember when my cousin told me and my mother she thought she had autism. I’ve thought for a long time that she’s autistic. My (and my mother’s) suspicion of this wasn’t a negative assumption meant to emphasize deficit, but a simple descriptor of someone we knew very well. When she told us this, both my mother and I told her we think she was probably right and that we see that in her too. She was so excited that we thought the same thing, visibly happy that we saw her. My mother talked to my aunt (her mother) about it and explained that she should look into getting her diagnosed because it can help her find the resources she might need to help her function the best she possibly can and she will be able to understand herself and be understood by her family and others better; my aunt was hesitant about this until my mom explained to her what a diagnosis could do. My cousin got diagnosed and it’s proven to be incredibly helpful. Previous misunderstandings between my cousin and her parents and frustration with her on their part were partially ironed out with this diagnosis, and she has a lot of joy participating in communities of other autistic people, especially online. I remember being overjoyed along with her when we agreed with her about her self-diagnosis, and in no capacity was I thinking of it as a problem. I’ve been very close with her our whole lives, and to me, the only real “problem” to be solved was other people failing to understand and accommodate her; she is an exceptionally intelligent, lively, and compassionate person and a diagnosis aided her in these areas. Joy, here, and in many spaces, is paramount. To remember that neurodivergent people can be and are joyful is to respect their complexity and humanity, and not fall victim to doom-centric narratives about diagnosis and the resulting action.