‘I HAVE DYSLEXIA, DO NOT LABEL ME NEURODIVERGENT’

Mei grew up in a traditional Chinese household where academic excellence was highly valued. From an early age, she struggled with reading and writing, often feeling frustrated when she could not keep up with her classmates. Teachers dismissed her difficulties as laziness, while her family urged her to work harder. It was not until she moved abroad for university that she was diagnosed with dyslexia.

Hearing the diagnosis should have been a relief, but instead, Mei felt conflicted. In her culture, neurological differences are often viewed as an illness or disability, something to be hidden rather than embraced. When she came across the term neurodivergent, she found it even more unsettling. The label made her feel boxed in, as though she was being defined by her condition rather than by her strengths.

"I do not see myself as neurodivergent. I am Mei, a person with dyslexia, not someone who needs to be categorized in a way that makes me feel different or limited," she often explains. She prefers to be recognized for her skills in problem-solving, creativity, and adaptability, rather than being labeled in a way that carries stigma in her culture.

Instead of focusing on labels, Mei advocates for individual recognition. She believes conversations should shift from categorizing people to understanding their unique strengths and challenges. "Call me a creative thinker, a visual learner, or someone who processes information differently. But do not reduce me to a term that does not reflect who I am."

Through her journey, Mei is challenging the perceptions of dyslexia within her culture, encouraging acceptance and support without the need for imposed labels.

How can we help Mei to understand more about neurodivergence? Does culture play a significant role in shaping how individuals perceive and define neurodivergence?