The Double Hurdle: Supporting Marginalized Communities in Neurodiversity

For a long time, the public face of neurodiversity was very specific: a young, white, cisgender boy who loves trains or can’t sit still in class.

While those boys absolutely deserve support, that narrow stereotype has left millions of people behind.

Neurodivergence doesn’t discriminate—it exists in every race, gender, and economic background. However, the response to it is often heavily biased. To build a truly inclusive community, we have to talk about the “double hurdle” faced by marginalized groups.

1. The Race Gap: Behavior vs. Biology

Systemic racism plays a massive role in who gets a diagnosis and who gets a detention.

  • The Reality: Research shows that Black and Brown children are diagnosed with ADHD and Autism much later than their white peers.
  • The Bias: When a white child is restless or impulsive, teachers often ask, “Does he have ADHD?” When a Black child exhibits the exact same traits, they are often labeled as “disruptive” or “disrespectful.”
  • The Impact: This leads to the “school-to-prison pipeline” rather than the “school-to-support pipeline.”
  • How to Support: We must advocate for medical assessments over disciplinary action. If you see a child of color being punished for traits that look like neurodivergence, speak up. Ask the question: “Could this be sensory overload or executive dysfunction?”

2. The Gender Gap: The “Lost Girls”

For decades, diagnostic criteria were based on boys. As a result, generations of women and non-binary people were missed.

  • The Reality: Women are often socialized to be quiet, polite, and accommodating. This forces neurodivergent girls to become masters of masking—hiding their struggles to fit in.
  • The Misdiagnosis: Many women are diagnosed with Anxiety, Depression, or BPD years before anyone realizes they are actually Autistic or ADHD.
  • How to Support: Belief is powerful. If a woman tells you she thinks she is neurodivergent, don’t say, “But you don’t look like it.” Trust her internal experience over her external performance.

3. The LGBTQIA+ Overlap

There is a statistically huge overlap between the neurodivergent community and the LGBTQIA+ community.

  • The Link: While science is still studying the “why,” many believe that because neurodivergent people are less bound by social constructs, they are more likely to question and explore gender and sexuality norms.
  • The Support: An inclusive space must be inclusive of all identities. You cannot support someone’s brain while rejecting their gender identity. At Spectrum Threadz, we believe in clothing that has no gender—just comfort.

4. How to Be an Intersectional Ally

Supporting marginalized neurodivergent people requires active effort.

  1. Check Your Bias: If you find yourself judging a person of color more harshly for a social mistake or an emotional outburst, pause. Ask yourself if you would judge a white neurodivergent person the same way.
  2. Amplify Diverse Voices: Don’t just follow white advocates. Follow and buy from Black, Asian, and Indigenous neurodivergent creators. Listen to their specific struggles regarding healthcare access and safety.
  3. Financial Accessibility: Diagnosis is expensive. Support organizations that provide low-cost assessments to low-income families.

Neurodiversity is the diversity of all human minds. If our support doesn’t reach the most marginalized among us, it isn’t working yet.