I am autistic. In fact, I have a neurospicy family.
In public I often wear a pin that says “Autistic”. People notice. Sometimes they stare. Rarely they ask. That visibility is uncomfortable and useful at the same time — it is one reason I believe clothing and public culture can carry a message without needing a microphone.
I wear this pin and display the Autistic pin proudly, simply because it makes me unique and special. Another lesson from history and science is that many of the greatest minds in history were on the spectrum. Always ahead of the curve.
The Hidden History of Neurodivergence
The only thing that kept the average neurodivergent person hidden in their home was the fear of repression from society at being ‘weird’. The ones with the resources were able to avoid social exclusions and had the opportunity to gain fame. But now with the world becoming so connected and everyone having access to information at their fingertips, neurodivergence awareness is on the rise. More people are coming out and identifying themselves as neurodivergent.
The issue I take with today’s society is the agonizingly slow speed at which neurodivergence is being accepted and normalized. I am going to bring it home straight. Homosexuals were looked down upon (and still are in many parts of the world). In the UK homosexuality was only decriminalised in 1967. Yet, nearly 60 years on, we still hear kids calling each other homosexual slang as an insult to cause offense.
My Story
I’m in my mid-40s and was only diagnosed a year ago. I worry for my children who are in the same boat as I.
I have felt ‘weird’ and ‘different’ all my life and now I have a name for it. I want my children to live in a world where neurodiversity is not a bad thing and a 10-year-old’s school friends don’t say “are you autistic?” as a way to make them feel degraded. I want my children to live in a world where they don’t feel awkward if they are not masking themselves. I want my children to live in a world where meritocracy works and inability to network due to social inhibitions is not a cause for career penalty.
The Brand: Neurodivergent Visibility & Pride
GQuixote approaches neurodivergence from both intellectual and cultural dimensions. On GQuixote.LIFE, we explore the cognitive science, evolutionary purpose, and perceptual strengths of neurodivergent cognition — asking how neurodiversity shaped technological and scientific breakthroughs.
On GQuixote.XYZ, we will offer dedicated apparel for people who are proud to be neurodivergent and not afraid to show it — designs that say Neurodivergent, Autistic, ADHD, and similar, clearly and without apology. The free history and analytical designs come first, but Neurodivergent Pride is a foundational pillar of where this entire brand is heading.