(some) accommodations for “neurodivergent” people (rly just certain presentations of low support needs autism ADHD) be use as cop out accommodations by service providers, businesses, organizers, establishment, events, etc.
it be generally low cost, low effort, n low accountability form of accommodation that providers use to meet buzzword “disability inclusive” n get kudos for that, while use as excuse not need to accommodate for disabled people who need accommodation that need more effort or bigger / fundamental changes to what they doing. e.g. many physically disabled people, especially wheelchair users, high support needs neurodivergent people, n honestly sometimes even lower support needs neurodivergent people with different needs.
these accommodations typically one of two category:
1) objects that little to no cost to get (can often buy for cheap cost or in bulk) and little to no effort in implement (you literally hand to neurodivergent person)
this be like stim toys, sometimes ear defenders, etc.
at best, may lower music volume, dim lights, but many times not even that.
this may be helpful for people who not allowed buy stim toys, forgot stim toys, or try out new types, but personally never found these helpful n always kind of confused me because many neurodivergent ppl am know who regularly use n need stim toys & noise cancelling… literally bring their own.
interestingly, portable ramps technically be same in this way compared to some other ways make buildings be physically accessible to physically disabled ppl & wheelchair users (widening doors, remodel to get rid of stairs, build permanent ramp, etc). but it be nowhere near frequent “give stim toy.” they ARE more expensive than stim toys (can buy like a LOT of them online for like 30 dollars), but still. think it still speak to how (some look of) neurodivergence vs physical disabilities treated.
(be told “we be fully accessible but do have few steps get in but we can carry you in / come find us inside n we bring out portable ramp for you” be FREQUENT experience for wheelchair users, but would… not call that accessibility. at least stim toys & ear defenders here be actual tools n aids n accommodations that help.)
2. conceptual things with little to no guide on how they be achieved, how to assess they succeed or fail, or accountability in general.
e.g saying “can be yourself with us” “stim freely” “we not judge”
which. don’t get wrong - great concepts. should be Thing. but often time it stop there at concept and slogan and words.
and many times, these not even true in action, or only selectively true to most pallatable n most privileged. many times “be yourself” mean certain type of self, stim freely be certain type of stim (cute, quiet, or occasional cute “non threatening” noises, small actions, ignorable, etc.), many times do judge, sometimes visibly. promise words =/= actions.
for example, neurodivergent people of color, especially black neurodivergent people, can be seen as more threatening even if do same thing as white neurodivergent person… or nothing at all. higher support needs autistic etc people who cannot control stim, constant stim, loud stim, so called “disgusting” stim, groan moan big full body movements, etc., or public meltdown of any type but especially the loud n stereotypical n “ugly” type.
versus. many access needs of physically disabled people need concrete physical things & cannot even be pretended be solved with virtual signaling. you cannot slogan your way into suddenly summon ramp (… though many people do try virtual signal their way thru “accommodating” wheelchair users, as talked above)
you rarely hear “we accept people with medical devices!” be big advertised Slogan Thing. … plus, people often gross out or somehow inconvenienced by it anyway, or stare - especially stuff like ostomy bag, catheter bag, or honestly like anything with stoma, n also life sustaining medical devices that beep once in while (… so annoying people or “trigger someone sensory issues” n somehow put on same level of access needs.)
wheelchair users require ramp or otherwise physically accessible entrance to even get in, to even have chance see if it accessible inside, to even have chance see if it accommodating to their neurodivergence they may have. some people have bulky 300+lb wheelchairs n some are nonambulatory, there be no “force tolerating the discomfort” of no ramp to get in. people with life sustaining medical equipments need those equipments to… well. stay alive, n some of them cannot be disconnected for even few seconds or else will die or physically impossible remove without surgery.
cannot count how many times places have said they “disability accessible” n only for wheelchair users n other disabled people with needs that require bigger effort accommodations, to find out they actually have “just a few” steps to front door, no accessible bathroom, etc, by advertise self as disability friendly n accessible they mean they keep stim toys. or more visibly developmentally disabled people not be invited back, be kicked out, be not invited at all, be banned from enter, refuse service, bc people discover they not type of cute convenient neurodivergents who only need stim toys as accommodations. THAT is cop out.
