Neurodiversity Is DEI: Why We Must Speak Up Now

Neurodiversity—encompassing conditions like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and Tourette’s—is fundamentally a part of the DEI mission. Yet, because these conditions are often invisible, they’re easier to overlook, erase, or devalue when DEI frameworks come under attack. According to the CDC, approximately 15–20% of the global population is neurodivergent (CDC, 2022). That’s not a niche. That’s millions of people whose access to fair treatment, accommodations, and acceptance is at risk.

When universities or workplaces eliminate DEI offices or programs, they are also eliminating the support systems that neurodivergent people rely on to succeed in neurotypical environments. These are the offices that push for extended test times, sensory-friendly environments, flexible work schedules, and training for neurotypical managers on inclusive leadership. A 2021 study published in Disability & Society found that neurodivergent workers experienced higher rates of exclusion and mental health strain in environments lacking structured DEI policies (Brown et al., 2021). Stripping those protections away doesn’t make the workplace more “neutral.” It makes it more hostile.

It’s particularly cruel to see these rollbacks occur at a time when we were finally starting to have more honest conversations about masking—the mental toll neurodivergent people endure when forced to conform to neurotypical behaviors just to survive socially or professionally. Research from the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders shows that masking is linked to increased anxiety, depression, and burnout (Cage et al., 2018). Yet as DEI programs are dismantled, the message being sent is clear: “Pretend you’re like everyone else, or you don’t belong here.”

The erasure of DEI doesn’t just harm neurodivergent people. It disproportionately affects people who live at the intersections of multiple identities. A queer, Black, autistic woman is not only more likely to experience marginalization—she is also less likely to be recognized in the first place if the systems designed to support her no longer exist. This is not hypothetical. Florida, Texas, and other states have enacted laws that severely limit how identity, race, and equity can be discussed in public institutions. In some cases, faculty and staff have been fired for advocating too vocally for inclusive practices (Inside Higher Ed, 2023).

It’s time to stop seeing neurodiversity as a side issue or a separate category. Neurodiversity is DEI. Inclusion means recognizing that different brains are part of human diversity. Equity means ensuring those differences aren’t punished. And diversity means embracing the full spectrum of what makes us human—visible or not.

In this moment of political backlash, we must double down on the truth: DEI is not a threat. It’s a lifeline. For neurodivergent people and so many others, it’s the difference between being welcomed and being erased.

If you care about neurodivergence, speak out for DEI. If you are DEI, fight for neurodivergent voices. Because in the end, we are not just part of the conversation. We are the reason it matters.

References

Brown, J., Thomas, K., & Rickard, N. (2021). Neurodivergence in the workplace: Considering neuroatypicality as a form of diversity. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 14(1-2), 101–106. https://doi.org/10.1017/iop.2021.1

Cage, E., Di Monaco, J., & Newell, V. (2018). Experiences of autism acceptance and mental health in autistic adults. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(2), 473–484. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3342-7

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, March 2). Data and statistics on autism spectrum disorder. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/autism/data-research/index.html

Inside Higher Ed. (2023, December 16). How the battle over DEI shook out in 2024 and what’s to come. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/diversity-equity/2024/12/16/how-battle-over-dei-shook-out-2024-and-whats-come