Celebrating neurodiversity: The importance of challenging stereotypes

What does neurodiversity mean to you, and why is it important to celebrate it?

Marleen: As someone who is neurodiverse, for me it means that our brain functions in a way that’s different from most others. Our brains use unique pathways to process information, resulting in us being seen as 'different’. And by 'different,' I mean someone who serves as a reminder of the complexity and beauty of the world we live in. We should celebrate this uniqueness, encouraging others to embrace their 'out-of-the-norm' qualities, as this is the only way to eliminate the very idea of 'out-of-the-norm’.

Nurmianti: Neurodiversity is about realizing that brains like mine — wired for creativity, deep emotions, and bursts of energy — aren’t broken, just different.

Charles: To me neurodiversity means celebrating the various ways that people’s minds work, and how they approach the world through that uniqueness. It’s about cherishing different perspectives, learning styles, and perceptions, and embracing this diversity with inclusivity and empathy.

What are some common misconceptions about neurodivergent individuals, and how can we challenge them?

Marleen: Neurodiversity doesn’t just mean having some specific neurodiverse traits; it’s much more complex. Many people aren’t aware that numerous neurodivergent individuals have co-occurring mental health diagnoses, such as depression or anxiety, or even co-occurring physical conditions like increased pain, hypermobility, and gastrointestinal problems. For example, I’ve dealt with anxiety and depression since I was 15, but it took me 10 years—and money out of my pocket—to receive an accurate ADHD diagnosis because my symptoms didn’t match the typical traits.

Emma-Jane: In my experience, a phrase I have heard from others a lot is “you don’t look autistic”. The fact is, there is no one way for an autistic individual to look or be. Another generalisation I hear is “oh, we’re all on the spectrum somewhere”. But when autistic people speak about being on the spectrum (the official diagnosis in the UK is Autism Spectrum Disorder) this is because there are many autistic people with varying experiences, we are all autistic but within the spectrum. When non-autistic people use this language and include themselves, it can unintentionally invalidate our lived experiences. 

Nurmianti: A common misconception is that neurodivergent people are 'less capable' or 'lazy.' ADHD doesn’t make me lazy or unfocused; it means my brain thrives on creativity, passion, and challenges. To challenge these misconceptions, we need to listen to lived experiences, not stereotypes. Instead of trying to 'fix' neurodivergent people, we should ask, 'How can we support you?’

Emma-Jane: Many things! Wise is a place I’ve been able to thrive because I’ve had a supportive, empathetic team who have taken the time to understand how I work, which means I’ve been able to contribute to so many interesting and exciting projects. Probably the most important (and personal) project for me so far has been the chance to steer and organise a Living Library event across multiple offices for Neurodiversity Celebration Week. It means a lot that I can get involved in neurodiverse initiatives alongside my SEO role of producing blog content that consistently ranks well on Google and makes a real impact.

Gabriella: Understand the different needs of neurodiverse people, such as sensitivity to lights and sounds. Many neurodivergent people learnt to hide their true selves from a young age, which is really exhausting, hence sometimes we get overly tired. When we can’t mask, we may become more irritable or less filtered, which can be misinterpreted as rudeness. 

Emma-Jane: We are all different, please don’t make assumptions. That said, for me personally, I can outwardly seem like I’m fine, when actually I’m an anxious mess on the inside. Simply checking in and asking how I am means a lot, especially when there are big meetings or events like Mission Days coming up.

One of our 13 global DEI Communities at Wise is the Diverse Ability Network. We offer company wide Disability & Neurodiversity Inclusion training curated and co-facilitated with our network members. We collaborate together so that Wisers have accommodations and the support they need to do their best work — whether that’s quiet spaces, flexible working, or anything else that helps them thrive.