'we're all neurodiverse' by Sonny James Wise - Review by Saskia
- blackbuttongirl
- Feb 6
- 4 min read
I had great hopes for this book as the author identifies not only as autistic but also as non-binary & physically disabled and presents the book as exploring intersectionality of race, class, sexuality, gender, gender identity, neurodivergence and disabilities. I was also looking forward to learning more about how autism is viewed in Australia, the medical and mental health system there, social security and benefit system etc.
Despite the technically inaccurate title (society as a whole is "neurodiverse" but individuals within it can only be neurotypical or neurodivergent) the book started well with its colourful and inclusive looking cover. I was drawn in by the disposition of letters on the cover that make the "all" part of the title look like a lock (or is it meant to be an umbrella perhaps?) as a visual metaphor for how neurodivergent individuals can be locked into poverty (or even literally locked away in prisons and "care"/MH institutions). And how a better understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity by society as a whole, would liberate neurodivergent individuals, at the same time as unlocking the benefit of a more inclusive society for all.
The attempt at defining key words and concepts that readers might not be aware off at the beginning of the book was promising, so was the fact that the author quotes their sources and gives names and contact information of other neurodivergent advocates. Sadly the definitions turned out to be rather vague or circular and I was thankful that I already knew all of the words defined thanks to other books I had previously read. I want to quote 2 examples that exemplifies this:
- The definition of "AAC" where the author spells out the acronym and describes it as "forms of communication outside of oral speech". While technically correct, this does not allow readers who have not seen AAC being used to imagine what it looks like. The definition given explains what "AAC" ISN'T rather than describe what it IS. A few practical examples would have been welcome.
- The definition of "Alter" (alter is used to describe someone within a system) and "System" are referencing each other. In my opinion, there is no way that anyone who has not heard of the of dissociation/dissociative identity disorders or similar concepts would be able to understand "alter" based on the definition in this book, which defeats the purpose of having a list of definitions in the first place.
The lack of depth continues throughout the book and leads to a feeling of repetition and at times contradictions. For example, despite mentioning the importance of intersectionality many times and repeating many times that they identify as non binary and queer, the author does not once detail how these identities interacts with their autism. The intersection of their various neurodivergences (ADHD, Autism, Bipolar, BPD etc.) and their physical disabilities (EDS, Arthritis etc.) is written up more as a list of barriers that add to each other like a shopping list, rather than a reflection on how all those disabilities interact with each other (or interact with their other identities).
Despite the fact that it is mainly females, gender non-conforming, queer, traumatised or autistic individuals who get labelled with personality disorders (such as BPD) by the medical model, instead of their trauma, oppression or autism being recognised. This book talks about personality disorders as if it is a neurodivergence like all others and fails to reflect on the high rate of misdiagnosis for BPD and how this intersects with Autism, ADHD, PTSD, sex, gender identity, sexual identity and other marginalised identities.
Thankfully some of the guests writers that are quoted in the book do a better job of talking about intersectionality. The intersection of race & autism or ethnicity & sexual identity & gender are well talked about by Nia Patterson and Derrick Quevedo but it would have been nice to have more intersections being talked about.
When it comes to difficulties faced in an education setting and how they can be accommodated, once again the lack of basic research into the topic is obvious. The only alternative education method mentioned is unschooling/home schooling and the author asks "Can you imagine receiving all the accommodations and support to help you thrive?"
As someone who had the luck and privilege of being in schools that were supportive I can say that the inclusive education setting that the author struggles so much to imagine in fact already exists in the form or several alternative pedagogies developed over a century ago by child psychologists like Maria Montessori, Rudolph Steiner and educators like Celestin Freinet.
I am aware that certain pedagogies are more well known in certain countries than others and that in the current western set up there is often an extra cost to accessing these alternative schools, but I was still shocked that the author would talk about inclusive education, while apparently not having done even the most basic google search on alternative pedagogies.
Overall, the book comes across as well meaning but very superficial, lacking vision and rather repetitive; somewhere between an AI-written dictionary and a political pamphlet. but sources are provided and includes a list of activists to follow.
My favourite quotes are:
"If people are manipulated into thinking the root cause of their mental distress is biological defects or chemical imbalances, then they'd never identify the oppressive systems that are slowly killing them as the cause of their suffering" Dr Ayesha Khan (@wokescientist)
"We need to recognise that individuals are the experts of their own experience".
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