Dyspraxia in mainstream media
The ignorance of some members of the general public is revealed when they hide behind a keyboard.
Recently, The Independent, a mainstream media and news outlet from the UK, shared an article under their Health category titled “What is DCD? Underdiagnosed condition found to be as common as ADHD”.
In recent years, we have seen many mainstream media and news outlets sharing “Rage Bait” titles relating to neurodivergent conditions. These have resulted in the consistent sharing of misinformation, as most commenters won’t read articles beyond the titles, which seems to fuel abusive insults and comments made towards neurodivergent people.
Even when article titles have clear and well-meaning titles, this new culture of hate that has been generated continues to have a detrimental effect on the community.
Not only does it make neurodivergent people targets becoming victims of hate online, but it also poses a damaging risk to their mental well-being when consistently being exposed to seeing and experiencing this type of aggression both online and in person.
We advise readers to be aware that the content of this article may include examples that some may find disturbing.
Ignorance and extreme ableism are hidden behind a keyboard.
If you post something publicly, anyone can view it.
Actions have consequences.
When you share a hateful comment online, people see that. Someone close to you may be impacted by those comments. As a result, they will likely lose respect for you and no longer trust you to share their authentic selves with you. Your employer might see your comments and decide that they no longer want you to work for them, as your views could impact not only other employees but the reputation of the business. Think before you post.
The dyspraxic community may be small, but many bravely banded together to help educate people who commented in ignorance, and stood up against online hate from those who hide behind their keyboards. Sharing their own personal stories and experience helped to raise awareness of the real impact dyspraxia poses to every day life.
Some commenters found no issue with attacking parents and single mums
Dyspraxia is one of the most underdiagnosed neurodevelopmental conditions worldwide, despite being much more common than autism, and expected to be just as common as ADHD. This is especially so for women and girls. We see this gender gap in diagnosis among many conditions, which is due to ongoing social bias and expectations impacting both research and diagnostic criteria.
A severe lack of awareness and funding provided to dyspraxia research and support leaves it vulnerable to the spread of misinformation and harmful comments.
Not all comments came from ableist and hateful keyboard warriors. Many comments from the dyspraxia community shone through, as people shared their personal lived experiences and support for dyspraxia being talked about in mainstream media.
Many were discovering dyspraxia for the first time, reflecting on how this discovery resonated with a part of themselves that they had no explanation or term for until now.
Many parents joined in on the conversation, asking questions directed at dyspraxic adults, recognising the challenges their children face, gaining valuable new insights and advice.
Your words have more power than you could ever know. And this remains true for anything you say. Be it something positive, negative, factual or false.
When you choose to make good decisions every day, with your words and actions, that foster kindness and open-mindedness, you improve the lives of those around you.
So many dyspraxic people say they have never met another dyspraxic person before. Maybe, because many of us are anxious to share that part of ourselves. Why wouldn’t we with the way people so bravely talk about it in pubilic online spaces?
Small mentions of dyspraxia here and there could spark someone’s interest to learn more. It could help someone know they are not alone.
These are the kind of positive conversations that have the power to change thousands of people's lives.
Others showed signs of internalised ableism as they hid behind shame for their own experiences.
Many of the comments expressed how they felt it was “ridiculous” or “stupid” to give a label to something they believed explained what everyone experiences. This is something we see a lot from family members who are in denial about their children being diagnosed with other neurodevelopmental conditions like autism or ADHD.
Given that these conditions have a high probability of being hereditary, many parents discover this in themselves while going through the diagnosis and support process for their children. Often, this is seen as a positive discovery for families who take this new opportunity to learn, grow and support one another together.
Of course, in the comments we have seen posted online, many of these people may think that the description of these conditions explains “normal behaviour”. Because for them, that is normal. Without realising, because they may have been bullied and ridiculed, in the same way they are now doing to others, because they identify with being dyspraxic or autistic, ADHD and so on themselves.
While this may not always be the case, often we find that it is. Unfortunately, self-reflection and acceptance can not, and should not, be forced. This is something people should have the freedom to discover and ask about for themselves.
How can others be better allies online when mainstream media and news outlets shine a light on dyspraxia?
It can be intimidating to stand up in a crowd of hateful, misguided and ableist comments to promote positive conversations.
Unfortunately, this is exactly what keyboard warriors rely on. When someone does not challenge them and correct their hateful views and comments, they feel validated in what they are saying. Some crave others responding to them and get joy out of upsetting others.
The best course of action is to remain calm in your responses and not to feed their desire to upset you. Start positive conversations that promote inclusivity and community spirit. Doing so raises awareness and controls the direction of the conversation into a more productive space that pushes out hate and the spread of harmful misinformation.
Remember, it’s not your job to correct the views of others; that’s their responsibility, and if you don’t feel comfortable challenging those views, then you don’t have to.
