Issues and campaigns: Neurodiversity
‘Neurodiversity’ means that different people have different brain wiring. Those with a minority brain wiring – such as dyslexic, autistic and dyspraxic people – face discrimination at work and in wider society.
Marxism and Neurodiversity
Tourette’s, neurodiversity and class: the case of Madame Dampierre
In 1825, Paris physician Jean Marc Gaspard Itard assessed a French noblewoman in her twenties who, from the age of seven, had ‘ticked and blasphemed‘. She was one of ten people with similar symptoms described in an article by Itard. … Read more
Is a neurodivergent worker considered disabled under UK law?
The law judges this on a case-by-case basis. The 2010 Equality Act states that an individual is disabled under the law if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial, long-term, adverse effect on their ability to … Read more
Neurodiversity: a core bargaining issue
There is an excellent article in November 2022’s Labour Research – ‘Neurodiversity: a core bargaining issue’. I’m pleased to say that I am extensively quoted! If you would like to read the full text, ask your trade union if it … Read more
Poetry in Asylum magazine
Janine has recently taken over as Poetry Editor of Asylum magazine. Asylum wants your poetry for our radical mental health magazine. Asylum has been running for nearly forty years, providing a platform for all perspectives on mental health. Asylum is influenced and … Read more
A Question of Importance
Invited to an event to answer a question of importance, I walked along the street with highness, went in through the door that revolves, past the guard of security, and spoke to the person with femaleness and helpfulness at the … Read more
Is There Power In a Union for Autistic Workers?
An assessment of trade unions as drivers of positive change for autistic people at work, written as an assignment for Postgraduate Certificate in Autism and Asperger Syndrome [Note: this is not advocating a union for autistic workers, but assessing the potential … Read more
Speaking for Labour to adopt neurodiversity policy
The Labour Party’s 2021 National Policy Forum report contained no mention of neurodiversity, despite a detailed and popular submission from Neurodivergent Labour to the Forum. So Janine proposed to Conference that it ‘refer back’ that section of the report so that … Read more
Calling for Labour to adopt policy on neurodiversity
At 2021 Labour Party conference, I moved a ‘reference back’ of the National Policy Forum report, due to its failure to include any policy on neurodiversity, despite a detailed submission being made to the policy forum process. This is what … Read more