Neurodiversity is both a concept and a civil rights movement. In its broadest usage, it is a philosophy of social acceptance and equal opportunity for all individuals whose neurology differs from the general, or neurotypical, population. The term is more commonly used, however, to refer to an ongoing campaign to end prejudice and discrimination against autistic people, a group numbering at least 20 million worldwide. (Some estimates of the global autistic population are as high as 60 million.) Although some autistics develop speech at a later age than other children, this is not a result of lower intelligence but reflects a visually oriented mode of language processing, which may include advanced written language abilities.
For about the past half-century, mainstream society has portrayed autistics as tragically defective, lacking even self-awareness and the capacity for basic emotions. As a result of this horrific stereotype, many small children, some as young as 2 or 3 years old, have been placed in abusive institutions or abusive behavior modification programs. Dangerous antipsychotic medications are often prescribed for autistic children, although autism is not a psychosis. Many schools routinely label autistic children, even those of above-average intelligence, as mentally disabled and segregate them into special-needs classes. Their parents are likely to be told that they will never be able to hold a job, live independently, marry, or have families of their own (although many autistics have done all these things). There are still doctors who recommend sterilization of autistic children. Several nonprofit groups solicit corporate donations for autism genetic studies, which include prenatal screening eugenics research.
As with other prejudices, the way to put an end to the mistreatment of autistics is to confront it by raising public awareness of the civil rights issues. In support of this effort, the Ventura33 Fanfiction Universe is hosting a Neurodiversity Writing Challenge, with a new round of stories posted each year in mid-June. Fanfic writers are invited to submit stories that deal with the issue of social attitudes toward autistic characters or others with unusual neurology in the Star Trek universe. Crossover stories are also welcome. Stories should be suitable for readers of all ages.
First Round Stories, June 2005
Cultural Evaluation by underground aspergian
Post-TOS, Spock, rated PG
Another Look by Ventura33
TNG, LaForge, Barclay, rated PG
(This is a companion piece to a previously written Barclay story, Letting Down the Race.)
Please do not be next by Sir Rich
Series unspecified, rated PG
Enough by tangerrine
New Frontier series, rated PG
Lost Years by Abbey
VOY, Torres, Miral, OC, rated PG
What Makes the Best Pilot by yannik
VOY, Paris, rated PG
We Were Not Always Thus by Julia
TOS, Kara, rated PG
Second Round Stories, June 2006
Timeshift by Lindadiva
TNG/X-Men 3 crossover, Picard, rated PG
The Waking Man by Wildcat (external link)
TOS/TNG, Spock, Sarek, rated PG-13
Deliciously Different by Garnet
Series unspecified, rated G
A Glass of Synthohol by Ventura33
DS9, Bashir, rated PG
Constructing Genocide by abfh
Series unspecified, rated PG
Third Round Stories, June 2007
The Kafka Syndrome by Susan Graham
Pre-TOS, original character, rated PG
Disillusioned by Madeleine
ENT, T'Pol, Tucker, drabble, rated PG
Home, Chapter 26 by Ke Roth
Post-TNG, B-4 and original characters, rated PG
The Weight of a Soul by Ventura33
VOY, Neelix & Samantha Wildman, rated PG
A Place I Like to Go by Ed
Series unspecified, rated G
Fourth Round Stories, June 2008
Sarina by Little Tanuki
DS9, Sarina, rated PG
Mr. Twiddle by Jonathan Mitchell
Series unspecified, rated PG-13 (contains vulgar language)
In and Out of Days by Ventura33
DS9, O'Brien family, rated PG
Portrait of the artist in black and white by Bev Harp
Series unspecified, rated G
In Memoriam — Katherine "Katie" McCarron
A beautiful, precious, and happy little girl
Murdered for being autistic, May 13, 2006