I Must Be BUG'N

Neurodivergent people are all too familiar with masking. It's the tiring process of trying to hide who we are. I'm hoping we can move past that to live our most authentic lives.

We mask because we're afraid of being hurt or abandoned. We get so fixated on the mask and getting people to accept and respect our "normalcy" that we lose sight of who we are and want to be. However, the truth is that the point at which we can let go of those expectations we give ourselves the most safety and freedom.

I talk a bit about this and give some good examples. I'd love to hear your thoughts after you've taken a listen...

Helpful Links:

• Tweet about young people not hating math
• Tweet thread about how to use redirection phrases
• How we should affirm children beyond saying "they're smart"
• Page Turner's post about letting go of the embarrassment of being human
• What is dyscalculia?

Intro and Outro music provided by byrdversion1 - "It Couldn't Be" from the album Nevermore

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I dig into why this discussion is especially important for Black and underrepresented people. It can be a heavy episode, especially for those who didn't feel affirmed or supported in their neurodiversity and differences as a child.

I speak to things like:

• How the mentality that "a child should stay in a child's place" is problematic
• The consequences of not talking about the "touched" family member
• How Black feminist insights help identify the root of the structures that keep us stuck
• Why some of the things meant to keep Black (and IPOC) people safe can be traumatic for neurodivergent people
• And more (smile)

Don't forget to suscribe, SHARE and leave a review if you're enjoying the podcast...

Here are some supporting resources for this discussion:

• The Neurodiversity Podcast - Low-Demand Parenting: Bridging Divisions, Fostering Trust
• Look Harder for Gifted Children of Color: They are Everywhere! (mentions Dr. Jenkins' work)
• We are Gifted 2 - check out the work of Dr. Joy Lawson Davis who continues the legacy of Dr. Jenkins
• Where is the outrage about the pipeline to prison for gifted students?
• How some of America’s most gifted kids wind up in prison
• ADHD, Autism, Giftedness Venn Diagram

Episode transcript provided by Riverside

Intro and Outro music provided by byrdversion1 - "It Couldn't Be" from the album Nevermore

P.S. in this episode where I use the word "weakness", I'm referring to perceived weakness rather than a defined one.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I discuss the purpose of the podcast, the meaning of "BUG'N" and why gifted and neurodivergent people, especially adults, need more spaces to exist without stigmas.

Episode Transcript Provided by Podcastle

Intro and Outro music provided by byrdversion1 - "It Couldn't Be" from the album Nevermore

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.