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wary about losing a central meaning of the term: That the way your brain is wired is extreme enough on a certain socially-relevant or education-relevant dimension that it’s really difficult to navigate the ordinary world of humans or to learn in a standardized way.

I don’t think it’s great that you are identifying with the neurodivergent label primarily so you can “fit in” and “belong” among your peer group. That actually feels pretty antithetical to the whole neurodivergent thing actually!

In reality, you’re probably just human and can be awkward sometimes but that doesn’t mean you actually score high in autism and need resources and support. In fact, your self-diagnoses and demand for resources takes away from the support and limited resources of those who truly need it.

For adults, it can be immensely empowering to discover later in life who you truly are and to identify positively with the neurodivergent label.