This week: On Being Different Edited by: NaNoKit More Newsletters By This Editor
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Being different isn't easy. Society is built for those who aren't like you. That doesn't mean that you don't matter. That your voice doesn't deserve to be heard. On the contrary - the literary world needs fresh perspectives!
This week's Drama Newsletter is all about our differences, and our strengths.
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I’m writing this newsletter after a lengthy (we’re talking hours here) Dyspraxia assessment. Dyspraxia is a developmental disorder of the brain, affecting coordination, movement and spatial awareness, amongst other things. Whilst the occupational therapist assessing me still needs to verify my test results, her 20 years of experience in this field told her that she is pretty certain that I do, indeed, have Dyspraxia. That is in addition to my already having been diagnosed with High-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Whilst I kind of knew that it was likely that I am dyspraxic – it was indicated during my Autism assessment that I present with many of the traits – the idea of having two disabilities is not exactly cheering. The rational part of me says that nothing changes – both disabilities have been with me since birth, it’s just that I now know about it – but I don’t think that anyone actually wants to be disabled. Let alone twice over. There’s a little voice inside of me that asks why I can’t just be normal. That wonders what it’s like to be normal. That ponders how I would perceive the world if my brain worked as it’s supposed to...
But then, what is “normal”? Whilst I cannot say this for certain, I figure that each of us perceives the world differently. If we didn’t, wouldn’t we all think the same? Wouldn’t we all have the same likes and dislikes? Wouldn’t we each class this piece of music as good and that piece of music as bad? Wouldn’t we all respond the same in the situations that we are faced with throughout life? The fact that we do not tells me that we are all different. That we are all unique. I don’t know who or what establishes the norm, but I know that our individual experiences are pretty diverse.
That’s not to say that I do not accept that there are some problems with how my brain functions. It’s not that great when you keep bumping into things and tripping over your own feet, for example. I would love to have better spatial awareness and be more in tune with my own body. I’m a Dutch person who cannot ride a bicycle. I can’t swim. I can’t dance. I’m terrible at sports. I will never be able to drive a car, as nobody would want someone like me behind the wheel, including me.
There are things about my brain that I love, though. It’s creative. It’s intelligent enough to hold its own at postgraduate level. It may be idealistic, but I’d rather that than it never searching for solutions on how we can do better.
Being different doesn’t mean being incapable of being artistic. Think, for example, of the singer Susan Boyle, who is autistic, or Harry Potter’s Daniel Radcliffe, who has Dyspraxia. Indeed, our differences, whatever they may be, mean that we can produce a wide range of art, a wide range of stories. We all have our own unique perspective and that is a good thing!
If, like me, you fall outside of the norm for whatever reason, don’t let it stop you. Your voice matters. It deserves to be heard. The more we create, the more we dare to share, the more we learn about one another and the fear of any differences dissipates.
Beyond that, the greater the amount of voices in the literary world, the better it becomes. I have frequently read complaints of a lack of fresh ideas in movies and literature, so there is definitely a desire for new stories and for different approaches. You never know, your story might be the next big thing!
As always, whatever you do, enjoy yourself. That’s what we’re here for, after all.
NaNoKit
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Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Drama Newsletter Team
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