Neurodiversity Activism: Global vs. Turkey
The birth of the neurodiversity movement globally, the intellectual legacy of Judy Singer, and the current reflections, adaptations, and cultural barriers of the movement in Turkey.
The Evolution of the Global Neurodiversity Movement
The neurodiversity movement emerged in the late 1990s, catalyzed by Australian sociologist Judy Singer's academic work reflecting on her own autistic family lineage, alongside early internet-based autistic communities. The core philosophy posits that human neurological variation is as natural, valuable, and necessary to protect as biological biodiversity in nature.
Globally, the movement aligns with the social model of disability, arguing that autism, ADHD, and other differences are not biological errors to be cured. Instead, society must adapt through structural modifications. As a result of decades of persistent advocacy, autistic self-advocates now sit on policy-making boards at the CDC and the UN.
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Reflections, Local Dynamics, and Cultural Differences in Turkey
Neurodiversity activism in Turkey is in its infancy and continues to develop. Rather than being driven by established, large-scale self-advocate unions that shape public policy as seen in the West, it progresses mainly through online blogs, independent networks, and social media platforms.
The primary cultural difference lies in the historically "parent-dominated" nature of disability rights in Turkey. A protective family structure that speaks on behalf of the child can sometimes delay the growth of independent self-advocacy. However, late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD adults are starting to establish independent platforms, bypassing these cultural limitations and shifting the public lexicon from "deficit" to "identity."