PRIDE MONTH: NEURODIVERSITY INCLUSIVITY 🏳️‍🌈

 

June is here! HAPPY PRIDE TO ALL MY GAYS, THEYS, HEs, SHEs, AND EVERYONE IN BETWEEN FROM YOUR LGBTQ+ AUTISM ADVOCATE AND ALLY!! I believe love is love and there should be no punishment for someone's freedom of speech, religion, or any other views on the world (unless, they're harmful to others).  I have many friends who are part of the LGBTQ+ community along with my aunts.  They're the nicest people I've ever met and judging them based on who they are is wrong no matter what you believe in.  

(I MAY get passionate and biased on this matter, just to warn ya!)

If you're a Christian, I want you to take a step back and remember your core values as a Christian.  Jesus Christ taught people to love others no matter what, right?! This includes race, gender, disability, sexuality, hair color, height, etc.  Bible aside, it doesn't have to say anything about sexuality in the Bible for you to LOVE someone no matter what. (Even if it's against your beliefs).  I'm a Christian, and I KNOW that God and Jesus loves anyone no matter where they're at.  It's all up to God on judging people who are gay, right?! It isn't hard to love someone because they dress differently...

Now, if you're not Christian...what do you value?  You should value kindness.  If you don't, I would advise you to please go talk to a licensed therapist.

Okay, now that that's taken care of... neurodiversity and LGBTQ+—how do they go together??

Well, it turns out there's a lot of overlap. Studies show that people who are neurodivergent—like those with autism, ADHD, OCD, or other brain-based differences—are more likely to identify as LGBTQ+ than the general population.

Let’s break that down with some stats:

🧠 Autistic individuals

• Up to 35% identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual

• About 6% identify as transgender or nonbinary

• Around 8% identify as asexual

🧠 LGBTQ+ youth

• About 26% identify as nonbinary

• Around 10% identify as asexual or on the ace spectrum

These numbers show that many people experience both a neurodivergent brain and an LGBTQ+ identity. That means they can face double the misunderstanding, double the stigma, and sometimes double the discrimination—which is why it’s extra important for communities, schools, and services to be welcoming, accessible, and supportive for both identities at once.

And let’s not forget about the adults in these communities—especially those who were diagnosed late in life.

💡 Many neurodivergent adults, especially women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ folks, go undiagnosed for years because their traits were misunderstood or masked. A lot of them only discover their autism, ADHD, or other neurodivergence after coming to terms with their gender or sexuality—or vice versa.

Imagine spending most of your life feeling “off” or “different,” only to finally realize that you’re not broken—you’re just wired differently. For many, that’s deeply healing, but it can also bring a wave of grief for the years spent misunderstood.

👉🏽 Being both LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent as an adult can come with unique challenges:

• Masking and burnout from trying to "fit in"

• Discrimination in healthcare, jobs, or religious spaces

• Lack of support from family or community

• Feeling “too queer for the neurodivergent groups” and “too neurodivergent for the queer spaces”

But it can also bring incredible strength, self-awareness, and community. A late diagnosis can finally help someone understand their needs, find new supports, and connect with others who get it.

🌈🧠 How to Be Inclusive of Neurodivergent LGBTQ+ Folks

Whether you're a teacher, therapist, parent, friend, or just a kind human, you have the power to make your space safer for those who live at the intersection of neurodivergence and queerness. Here's how:

✅ Use inclusive language
– Ask people their pronouns and use them
– Respect identity-first (autistic person) or person-first (person with autism) preferences
– Avoid making assumptions about someone’s gender, sexuality, or neurotype

✅ Be mindful of sensory needs
– Pride events and social spaces can be overwhelming for neurodivergent people
– Offer quiet areas, noise-reducing tools, or stim-friendly accessories (like fidgets)
– Respect when someone says “I need a break” or leaves early

✅ Don’t force eye contact or small talk
– Many neurodivergent folks struggle with these things—it’s not personal
– Let people communicate in ways that work for them, whether that's texting, AAC, or short answers

✅ Offer choices, not pressure
– Respect autonomy. Some people may not be ready to share their identity or diagnosis
– Give people the space to show up as they are, without feeling like they have to explain themselves

✅ Support late-diagnosed adults
– Don’t say “you don’t seem autistic” or “how did you not know before?”
– Celebrate their self-discovery instead. It takes courage to start over with a new identity in adulthood
– Point them to affirming communities, resources, and therapy if needed

✅ Keep learning
– Follow neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ creators, advocates, and educators
– Ask questions respectfully. And if you mess up? Apologize, learn, and do better.

When meeting new people, I try to be considerate of where they're at.  Always ask questions POLITELY with these individuals.  Most of the time, they will be patient with you.

In the end, love is love—and acceptance is everything. Whether you’re neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, Christian, or none of the above, kindness and respect are what truly matter. Everyone deserves to live authentically and be embraced for who they are, without judgment or fear. So let’s keep opening our hearts, learning from each other, and standing together—because when we lift up those at the intersections of identity, we create a world where everyone can thrive. Pride is for all of us, and together, we are stronger.

Enjoy These videos on neurodiversity & LGBTQ+

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.