NEURODIVERSITY REPRESENTATION IN THE MEDIA THURSDAY|TINKERBELL

 

It's Thursday my dudes!! Every Thursday I will be discussing some representation of neurodiversity in TV shows, books, movies, etc....

RULE: The character has to have a MAJORITY of neurospicy traits (doesn't have to have an official diagnosis)!!

Anyone who knows me, knows that if I had to be a spirit animal, it would be Tinkerbell.  Like Tink, I'm quirky, full of energy, sassy...Tink is my personality to a tee. Which is why she's perfect for a neurospicy representation!


Below is a chart that discusses Tink's personality and why she fits that neurospicy-ness.

Trait In-film Example What It Feels Like
Hyperfocus & Perfectionism Obsessively tinkering on Peter Pan’s shadow until it’s flawless. When you can’t let go of a project, even past the point of “done.”
Sensory Sensitivity Overreacting to loud noises in Pixie Hollow or getting flustered by sudden changes. Everything from bright lights to unexpected touch feels overwhelming.
Social Awkwardness & Literalness Difficulty reading Peter’s mixed signals; cutting “friends” when she’s hurt. Struggling to interpret jokes, sarcasm, or what “that look” means.
Emotional Intensity Jealousy that boils over into (literal) storms; intense loyalty to her circle. Feeling emotions at 100% volume—joy, anger, grief.
Impulsivity & Distractibility Zipping off to start a new invention mid-conversation; getting sidetracked by shiny objects. The delight of novelty, plus the frustration of losing track of your
 original goal. 
Because Tink’s boldness, quick reactions, and “take-it-or-leave-it” social style give her an extra kick of personality, which is why she is SPICY!

I really like this scene in the first Tinkerbell(2008) movie.  This is when Tink (voiced by Mae Whitman) is talking to Terrance (the pixie duster, voiced by Jesse McCartney) about changing her talent because she isn't happy with being a Tinker fairy.  He makes her realize that being a pixie dust keeper fairy isn't bad, which makes her second guess and have an ah-ha moment about her own talent.  THIS can be an example of what neurodiversity/autism acceptance looks like for an individual.  

I really like Tinkerbell and relate to her personality.  I think she represents neurodiversity well.

(if you have any neurodiverse-coded fictional characters that you would like me to cover, PLEASE reach out to me!! I'm all about representation!)

***DISCLAIMER: Tinkerbell the fairy isn't a diagnosed neurodivergent character.  She displays qualities of someone who is neurodivergent, which means a lot of her traits are dominant.***
If you liked this blog post, comment, share, etc.  Have any comments, questions, etc.? Reach out to me by messaging me on instagram @agirllivingwithaudhd or email me  alyssa.onthespectrum@gmail.com.  

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