Things You May Be Wondering

Questions that aren't necessarily frequently asked but I'm going to answer anyway.

Who is included in "neurodivergent?"

The term was originally meant to include anyone whose brain processes the world differently from the norm, whether it's innate or acquired, and I do agree with that definition. For the purposes of this page, however, it is meant as a shorthand for certain innate forms of divergence, namely autism, ADHD, and their commonly co-occurring conditions. This is not meant to redefine or gatekeep the concept in any way, it's just how I'm using it for the most part on this particular page.

Why "neuronormative" instead of "neurotypical?"

Because there are so many different things that could qualify someone as neurodivergent, and because of things like lateral ableism and internalized ableism, neurotypical just isn't an accurate way to refer to anyone who doesn't understand or share a certain type of neurodivergence. Most of my cartoons involve neurodivergent people being completely misunderstood or mistreated, and since that kind of thing can come from other neurodivergents, I feel like it makes more sense to characterize it as "upholding/imposing neuronormative values" than as a thing that only neurotypicals would do to us.

So then why do you use “NT” in some of your comics anyway?

Because I only have so much space in these little cartoon boxes and most people still have never even heard the word “neuronormative” before. So sometimes I go with popular usage in order to be more widely understood instead of the educational route (AKA sometimes I’m just lazy).

Does any particular color correspond with any particular neurotype?

Nope. That would be just about impossible to keep track of since so many of us are neurodivergent in more than one way. The rainbow colors are a nod to neurodiversity, and the gradients for ND characters are inspired by the idea of a spectrum of neurodivergence.

If I relate to the ND characters in one of your cartoons, does that mean I’m autistic/ADHD too??

I mean, I don’t know…maybe? But not necessarily. Some of the common themes in the autistic/ADHD community (ie feeling like we don’t fit in, being misunderstood, being bullied or abused for our differences, having our internal experiences invalidated) can be relatable to others for lots of reasons, because there are lots of ways to be different from “the norm.”

So maybe you are some other flavor of neurodivergent, or maybe you have felt othered because of your sexuality or gender or cultural differences or physical disability or…you get the idea. But, you know, maybe you could explore the possibility of being autistic/ADHD too if that just feels right. Just know you’re welcome to hang out no matter the reason you relate.

Would you mind if I used your one of your cartoons in my presentation (or whatever) to help educate others?

Not at all, I would be honored. Just make sure to credit me.

Can I please give you my money? It’s burning a hole in my pocket and I just…I need to give it to you. Oh my! That is awfully generous of you, and so very unnecessary, and I couldn’t possibly -

ko-fi.com/autball

(For real though, it's much appreciated.)