Hot Topic: Neurodivergent Animals? The Problem Isn’t the Pets — It’s the Framing
Description
In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott react to a recent article claiming dogs can be “autistic” — and unpack why this framing misunderstands both animals and neurodivergence.
They discuss how natural behaviours in animals get mislabelled as “autistic traits,” why deficit-based language harms autistic people, and how ableist assumptions shape research across species.
Together, they explore:
- How research bias leads to fear-based language like “risk” and “behavioural problems”
- Why neurodivergence is a natural evolutionary advantage, not a deficit
- The danger of reinforcing stereotypes (e.g., “cats are autistic,” “hyper dogs are ADHD”)
- Why splitting neurodivergence into strict labels misses the bigger picture
- How science goes wrong when it assumes autism is a negative trait
- The importance of autistic-led insight in neurodivergent research
This is a funny, fiery, and thought-provoking take on what happens when good intentions collide with bad science — and why autistic voices must guide any conversation about neurodivergence, no matter the species.
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