Neurodiversity and the Double Rainbow Connection

Video description: Charlie speaking to camera in her home office. 2 minute video with captions. Transcript: Hi, I’m Charlie Hart—also known as Ausome Charlie. Today, I am celebrating something beautiful: Neurodivergent Pride on the Double Rainbow. Autistic people are far more likely to be LGBTQIA+ and vice versa. This is not just anecdotal—it is backed up by research. Nearly a quarter of gender-diverse people are autistic. And autistic people? We are up to 60 times more likely to be gender-diverse than the general population. This is no coincidence – It is a connection! The Double Rainbow connection. I am Multiple-Neurodivergent. I am Autistic, and I have ADHD and Complex PTSD. And I am Bi/Pan and gender non-conforming. I am a Queer AuDHDer, and Proud! Being neurodivergent and queer is beautiful and joyful, but life on the double rainbow comes with minority stress from compounding marginalisation. To acknowledge my privilege here: I am white, and cisgender, maybe even straight passing, and I know I am not facing as much discrimination, even danger, as racialised people within the queer and neurodivergent community are facing. And it is not even about us! Minority stress is not caused by our identities, by who we are. It is caused by the dominant societal reactions to our identities. Do you want to be an ally? Start here: Respect our names and pronouns. Honour our accessibility needs. Don’t expect us to justify our existence. Believe us! Make space. And then hold the door open. Whether your Pride is loud and colourful, or quiet and cautious— whether you’re out and proud, or still figuring it all out— You belong here! You are not too much. You are not too different. You are exactly who you’re meant to be. Happy Pride Month, Happy Neurodiversity Pride Month!