Intersectionality (Neurodivergence & Race)

Intersectionality is a way of understanding that people live with more than one identity at a time — and those identities affect how they move through the world.

When someone is both neurodivergent and from a racial or ethnic minority, those experiences don’t sit side by side — they mix, overlap, and interact in complex ways.

This might affect:

• How quickly or accurately someone is diagnosed
• Whether their behaviours are seen as “quirky” or as something to discipline
• How much support they’re offered — or expected to earn
• What cultural stigma or misunderstanding surrounds neurodivergence
• How safe it feels to be visibly different in certain spaces

For example, Black and Brown autistic or ADHD individuals are often diagnosed later, if at all. Their behaviours might be interpreted through a biased lens — as “defiance” instead of sensory overload, or “laziness” instead of executive dysfunction.

At the same time, cultural background can shape how someone talks about their experience, how their family responds, or what support feels appropriate or acceptable.

Recognising this intersection helps challenge one-size-fits-all models — and reminds us that inclusion means seeing the whole person, not just a diagnosis or a demographic.