Conceptualizing Celebratory Technologies for Neurodiversity to Reduce Social Stigma

Social stigma is a complex phenomenon that plagues humanity. Disability is a key target of stigma, with physical, cognitive, emotional conditions being highly scrutinized by society. Many technologies aimed to support disabled people attempt to do so by directly changing their individual interactions with the world. When attention is drawn to affirm disability identities, it risks being perceived as inspiration porn. However, there is another way to level the playing field, to be inclusive rather than objectifying; that aim to empower stigmatized individuals rather than provide a single example of inspiration for the nondisabled observer that does little to reduce the negative stereotype. This paper introduces the concept of Celebratory Technologies for Neurodiversity. Drawing on a framework of social change specific to the stigma of autism; the tenets of the Neurodiversity movement; and the results of a current design probe with an adult with autism, initial suggestions for creating Celebratory Technologies for Neurodiversity support are provided.